Kung Fu Panda: The Long Night
by Rabenkopf
Summary: Accompany our friends, when they need to meet their greatest challenge. The Long Night of the World begins here.
1. Prolog

**This is5 the Sequel to "Kung3 Fu Panda: Light12 and Shadow" and I hope that it was anticipated. The story is as well connected to "Tai Lung the Journey" like to "Birth of a Shadow". I will try to remind of some facts of these works as well, but not everything. So when you want to know the whole story, you will need to read the other stories before. Hope still that you will like it.**

**Between its prequel and this sequel9 few months have passed. **

**"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation**

**I own nothing except16 for the written word.**

**Characters you don't19 know are from me. The Idea is also from me.**

**The quotation is a5 quotation of Terry Pratchett**

* * *

"**No matter how fast Light travels****… **

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

_**Part I: YIN**_

**Prolog**

I hate this land.

Marching to the north is always a hating matter.

Looking east: water and ice.

Looking west: water and ice.

Looking south: frozen mountains and snowy trees.

Looking north: An endless plain full of ice and snow.

If I could look even.

These damn special glasses don't work even a bit against this damn blizzard.

I hate to come here.

I hate the ice desert.

I hate snow.

I hate ice.

I hate every part of the world, where it is cold!

Damn my poor tail.

And my poor twins. They can get a cold.

I look backwards.

Still my lovely snow wolves are behind me carrying my goods.

Loyal and enduring guys, but…

"Faster you scum! I want to have it warm again!"

All of them moan.

Cause of this I would begin to smile usually, but I can't allow this waste of energy.

We go further. Or better said we fight further. This blizzard gets stronger and stronger every moment we stay in him.

"Sir, how far is it still?" one of the wolves asks me.

I look back at him.

I don't get the wished reaction. Note to myself: Don't use the evil eyes, when you are wearing glasses like this.

"Not far anymore." I reply finally.

Then like on a cue the ground begins to shake.

I can stay on my feet, but this can't be said of the carrier, who had the courage to ask me out.

I jump backwards and then a snow wall lifts it up from the ground, while the wolf flies at me. I step to the side in time.

The snow is falling down to the ground, while I can detect the reason for its uprising. In front of me is standing a polar bear. A big one. I could sum my height trice to get his height and my wide twice to get his. He has mighty paws and jaws like from a monster. He wears armor around his chest and probably his back.

He growls at me and I can see a scar, which crosses his left eye and gets down along his long neck.

"Bai Fen.", he growls at me again, but this time with words, "You bug are finally here. You are late!"

"Sorry Temujin, but I had to do something. And now growl in a different direction, before I give you another scar on your ugly face."

He growls at me again and this time shows his teeth.

"You dare to threat me? You puny midget? Should I laugh?"

"You should know better than any other person, that size isn't anything, Temujin." I reply and point out with my twins, which are in their sheath, at my left eye.

He growls at me again and then snorts.

"Fine. Are these your boys?"

I look back at them. All of them seem to be scared or frightened. Some of them couldn't even stand on their feet anymore.

"Yeah. Pathetic I know, but it is hard to find anyone for a trip to the ice desert."

"I see. Follow me. He awaits you."

He turns around and I follow him, after I shouted at my "boys" to follow us.

"So he awaits me? Is he the only one?"

"No your Riders are also back again."

"Good. I hate to wait."

He looks back at me. I can't see his face well in this blizzard, but I can guess, he gives me an angry face, before he turns back forward again.

Finally we reach a cave. Inside it is much calmer than outside.

I take the glasses down, while we get company. Smaller versions of Temujin, but still bigger than I and the wolves, come from the inside, also growling.

They go to the wolves and order them to give the goods away, which my carriers do after a shocked hesitation. Then the bears go back the road they came.

"Will you or your ´boys`?" I ask him.

"Me. I need some training."

"Good. See you in the base." I say and enter the dark cave deeper.

The cave is leading downwards rather fast, although the pitch is still big enough to walk on it. I ignore the screams from the entrance and reach finally a bigger cave, where torches are lightened.

The room is obviously artificial and big enough for a storehouse of different outlandishness. I see also a group of polar bears around a campfire eating fishes, who don't even look at me. I chuckle.

"Finally you are here, White." a girly voice from the side talks to me. I look to this direction, when she passes my face. It is Shari, the butterfly. Her wings form a rather beautiful picture out of different shades of red, like it is usual for her species, the common Palmfly. But her red colors are much more intensive than usual. Her face is like always painted although it looks nice also without it. She wears a Japanese kimono in pink and black, although she has nothing in common with Japan.

"Shari, stop flying around. Where are the others?" I ask her annoyed.

"In the Relic's Room, White."

"Good, come."

Then I cross the room undressing. I know that my normal clothes are more than enough in these rooms closer to the earth core.

I cross some corridors and crossroads, before I step into the Relic Room. It is lightened only a little bit, but still much warmer than every other location I know in this ice desert. In the middle of it are many different gadgets, which function I still don't get, although I know it will help me achieve my goal. Also there are the bags with my goods.

Most of the room is in the dark, and I feel like something is coming closer to me.

I turn around and get attacked by the huge mouth of a snake. To be precise a Green Tree Boa. It's color is a rather bright variant of green and seems almost like it was more a transparent skin.

The many jaws of the Boa stop in front of my face and I can smell the stinking of its throat. He closes his jaws and smiles evilly.

"Welcome back…" he wants to start to talk, when I grab his throat hard. One of my twins, which I have drawn out of its sheath to let it wait for his neck to come only a step closer, I take away now.

"Yin Siqu, tell me who is the White Rider?" I ask him threatening.

"….You…" he can squeeze out although he doesn't get air.

"So why are you attacking me?"

"….a…test…."

"Testing me?" I chuckle and stop it immediately, "When I catch you doing this again, I will tear out every of your dozens teeth as slowly and painful as it is possible. Understood?"

"…..Understood…." he replies and I let him go. He wriggles away in the dark corners of the room.

I look like another person leaves the dark. It is a Black Eagle and his name is Kar. He has black feathers, an orange-red bill, dark bottomless holes as eyes and a white area on his back in the shape of a V. He is a little taller than me and with his wings spread he would be bigger than me.

"As silent as always, what Kar?" I ask him.

He eyes me only. No other reaction expected. I smile.

I put the drawn twin back into its sheath and ask the Riders in front of me:

"So where is he?"

"Like always in his chamber." Shiqu tells me.

"And he looks like always." Shari adds.

"I see." I say and turn around. At the end of the room is a closed iron door, almost a gate.

I stop in front of it.

I sigh.

Another reason, why I hate to come here.

Finally I enter the room.

On the other side of the room is burning a campfire. It is the only light in the whole room. The smoke of the campfire is disappearing through a hole in the roof. Don't know how far it needs to go up to disappear into the blizzard, which is blowing outside.

The room is almost empty. Only a table and two chairs of wood, which are made by masters of this craftsmanship, are standing in the room. On the table is a board with baskets full with black or white stones. A Go-Game is prepared like always. On the chair closer to the campfire is sitting someone, but he is sitting in such an angle, that only shadows can be seen.

I get closer, when black Wings pass me. The owner of them lands on the table in front of the dark figure. It is a black Raven with black eyes and a third eye on his head.

It is him.

"Want to play a game, Bai Fen?" he asks me like always.

I smirk and go closer to the wall and start leaning against it.

"No thanks. I have more than enough from our last game."

"But this one is long ago and it was our only one."

"That is the reason."

I watch him narrowly. His face keeps neutral without a stir.

"Too bad. I enjoyed the last one."

"Another reason for me not to play against you ever again."

He lowers his head and shakes it without a change in the attitude of his face again.

"How went the plan?" he asks me after lifting it up again.

"You know it already."

"But I want to hear it from your perspective."

I sigh.

"No surprises."

"Be more precise."

"I have what you wanted, but only two."

"Two?...I see. What happened with the others?"

"One was buried by the collapsing dome and then sank down to the sea again. The other was destroyed."

The figure in the shadows seems to move, but the Raven keeps neutral.

"Destroyed? How?"

"The Dragon Warrior had destroyed it with a sword."

He turns back to the figure.

"Fascinating. Actually the power crystals are indestructible with normal tools. This sword had to be special."

I shrug my shoulders.

"Seems so."

"So at the end it became the Dragon's Place…" he adds after a short while.

I nod and ask: "Are two enough?"

"More than enough." he replies and turns back to me.

"So we are at our goal?" I state hope rising.

He waits with his answer. "No, not even close."

"What?!" I yell and get away from the wall.

The Raven keeps neutral, when he replies: "This shouldn't bother you. Something much more important is ready now."

I shake my head frustrated.

I want to scream my anger at him, but realize in time, that it would be useless.

I sigh and begin leaning against the wall again.

"And what may this be?"

The Raven's face changes for the first time. I think it should look like a grin, but it looks more like a grimace.

It looks terrible.

I step away from the wall and closer to the gate.

"The Game of course. It can begin finally."

…**it finds the Darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it****."**


	2. Throne of the Dragon

"Winter is coming."

**Motto of House Stark, Game of Thrones**

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**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter I:** Throne of the Dragon

I am walking along the corridor. It relaxes me always. And somehow I feel joyful to do this.

I look to my left. The view is also wonderful. In front of me is the Center of the Universe, the Garden of Heaven. There are seen willows, bushes, trees, rivers, lakes and all of them in the colors of the autumn. Red, Orange, Yellow and Gold. It is a wonderful view.

The Philosophers say that this view is bad, because the Universe is only in the summer in Balance, when everything is in the color of the Evergreen. Fortunately I am not a philosopher.

I turn around and stop walking. In front of me is that what the commons would call the Chamber of the Emperor. I call it after its name: Cathedral of the Dragon.

The fundamental tone of color in the Cathedral is Black. A black shining ground reaching from the Garden behind me till in front of me to the only wall in the Cathedral, which is also black. Black Pillars with Dragons, which circle around them till to the black Roof. And in the middle of this is the Throne of the Dragon. The Throne of the Emperor. The Throne out of pure Gold.

There are pictures carved in the Throne. Signs of Power. The Throne is not big, but it seems to be. It is the only thing, which shines out of this Cathedral. Every person's eye is locked to it immediately, when entering it, if from the Garden behind me or the secret entrances behind it, which are only known to the Imperial Family. Like me.

This difference of Colors was constructed on purpose. The Throne itself should be a symbol. That even in the middle of Darkness the Golden Light of Hope will shine represented by the Throne. I admit that this picture is edifyingly, although I don't believe in it.

For ten years I am walking this path to the Throne and it gets never boring for me. To look at it, motivates me to continue. It teases me, because the only person, who is allowed to sit on it, is the Emperor himself. Maybe this is the reason for me, why I want to be the Emperor once. But my father can be also the reason. Despite his lineage he was born poor, lived poor and died poor. Not an end I wish for myself.

I become anxious. Has it not happened already? How long I need to wait still?

"Don Ya! Don Ya!" I hear my name and look to my right. There he comes running, a goat in a yellow garment. His name is Zhu Li and he is also a relative of the Emperor, although it is almost not to believe. Running in the Cathedral….I shake my head.

"Don Ya, it happened!" he yells to me.

Finally! "I thought already he would never die. He was a stubborn one." I reply.

"Yes, but after so much poison I did into his food and drinks…" he began to talk, but I stop him with a hand. From one of the pillars Mibu appears. A black wolf with white fur which leads from his snout to his stomach. He wears – like always – his white armor, which is built with metal plates, which resemble scales, and his long and crescent moon shaped sword in its sheath. One of his eyes is always closed and the other reminds me of a winter sky.

Zhu Li hides behind me, while he steps closer. Have he heard it?

"You don't need to worry, pig. I don't care for your intrigues….till I have a prove." he says grinning. He steps in front of me now.

I hate that he calls me after my species, but I can't do a thing against him…still.

"What do you want, Mibu?" I ask him not even showing my tension. He should believe I am far superior of him.

"Oh, nothing much important. I only wanted to say you something." he replies still in his arrogant voice.

"And what may this be?"

"Only the last words of the Emperor. He had named an heir."

What! "What!" I yell losing my temper. I glare back at Zhu Li, who shakes his head in a not knowing manner. I look back at Mibu. This can destroy all my plans and he knows it. I may be the third in the succession, but a word of the Emperor and all succession rituals and laws are useless. Who has he chosen?

"Who is it?" I ask showing my anger more than wanted.

Mibu steps closer to me and whispers under my snout. "The Lost Princess."

….Have I heard correctly? This can't be….I begin to chuckle, while he steps back and turns around.

"Are you serious?"

"I and the Empress have heard it. These were his last words: The Lost Princess should succeed me."

I begin to laugh. "Then these words were a waste of breath. No one knows where the Lost Princess is."

"I know….I will search for her. And my men will follow me."

I become serious once again. "You can't be serious? There was a search for her already. It was pointless. And you can't take the Imperial Guard with you…."

Before I can react Mibu turns around fast and his paw dashes forward. He grabs my throat and he begins to lift me into the air. I can't breathe!

"Don't you dare to give me orders, PIG! If one of your ancestors wouldn't be the Emperor Han Tzu, you wouldn't be here!" he glares at Zhu Li and then at me once again, "I still can't believe that people, where the lineage is so thin are allowed to call themselves Imperial Family. Looking at a pig and a goat in this position…it makes me sick!" he throws me on my ass. I begin to rub my throat not caring if my dark blue garment gets dirty. Guessing that this ground is cleaned every hour so that it stays shining, the danger is minimal.

"My men will follow me everywhere. I am their Commander. The Commander of the White Wolves, the strongest Army of the Empire. Even the Anvil of Heaven bowed their head in front of us."

"And that is the reason, why you can't take them." I say angered, while I stand up once again, "Their duty is to protect the Imperial Family and not searching for ghosts."

"I will see how you will stop me from taking them with me. If you want to kill me, you need to pass them first. And I will search for her. I swore it. The Emperor hasn't died before I have sworn it."

"The Imperial Family is more important than your honor." I talk further, although I know how this conversation will end.

He moves his lips in a spitting manner, but doesn't spit. He knows where he is, but the gesture is easy to interpret. "With Family like you, I don't care. Farewell Don Ya. I hope we will never see us again." he says and turns around. He walks away without a further word.

It keeps silent first. I sigh.

"Don Ya, are you alright?" Zhu Li, who had hid himself behind the next pillar, says, after Mibu was out of range. I turn around at him. Without a warning I begin to beat him.

"How – could – you – not – stay – to – hear – his – last – words!?", I yell at him.

"I am sorry! I am sorry, Don Ya. Please don't beat me anymore! I have not even seen, that he talked!" he tries to defend himself, while protecting his head with his arms.

"Yeah, because you have stayed out of the hearing range probably, too frightened to come closer to the frightening Mibu. You idiot!" another hit at his head satisfies me. If it wouldn't be so difficult to find an accomplice-in-crime, who is loyal and not ambitious, I would have dropped him like a cherry pit already. Stay patient, Don Ya, the goal is almost reached and then you will have more than enough such assistants and footboys.

I become calmer once again. I close my eyes and mediate a bit, but it gets interrupted fast: "Eh, Don Ya?" he asks me from behind. I open my eyes.

"What is it?" I ask showing him with my voice, that I am still angry.

"Eh…Never mind." he replies frightened.

"Spit it out!"

"Yes, yes….who is the Lost Princess?"

I look at him with a disbelieving face. "You don't know who this is?" he shakes his head, "You are here for five years and three of them as my accomplice and you don't know?" he still shakes his head. I grab my head. I think I get a headache.

"The Lost Princess is the niece of the Emperor." I reply finally.

"Really? I have always thought that the Emperor has no close relatives anymore."

"It is not a close relative, which matters. It is the daughter of the Exiled Prince."

"The Exiled Prince!"

"Have you at least heard from him?" I ask with hope in the voice.

"Yes, of course. The younger brother of the Emperor, who had tried to overthrow his older brother, when their father, the older Emperor, died. He failed and that's for was exiled. But rumors say that he is dead already."

"Never believe rumors, you have not spread yourself. I thought I have taught you this. You are right, he was exiled, but no one knows, where he is. And there lies the point of the story of the Lost Princess. She was born shortly before the punishment was declared. The punishment included also the wife, but not the daughter. The Emperor even ordered that she should stay here, so she could be educated like the princess she was. But the Exiled Prince didn't listen to the order. He took her with him. The Emperor had sent his best men to find him and her and has even declared a bounty so high, that even a beggar would become a wealthy man. But after years of searching not even one clue was found. Ten years ago the search was ended officially. Even before I got here and still I have heard about this more than once. Every member of the Family, most often the old Geezers, could have told you this. But like always you don't listen to my teachings: Hear everything, but stay like a Shadow."

We begin to walk away from the Golden Throne.

"What will we do now?", he asks me after a while of walking.

"That what we do every day: Try to seize the Throne."

"But…the Emperor is dead. What now?"

"Now we will see our future enemies. At least one of them is away on an impossible mission." I say with an amused voice.

He stops in the track and then follows me faster. "You wanted Mibu to go?!" he says. He has deduced it. I am impressed.

"Of course. What have I taught you?"

He thinks and then says: "Never show your true intentions to your enemy. Smile, when you are angry and be angry, when you want to smile. So you have played the angered and shocked one?"

Not completely, but that he doesn't need to know the whole story.

"Exactly. Mibu could have been a threat with his nosing around. But now he will never come back. The Lost Princess is lost and so will he."

"But…what if he finds her?"

I look at him, after short thinking. "For this we will find a solution." I look to him, "Finally you think at least. Don't trust, Control."

"And where are we going now?" he asks, after a short while.

"To the Chamber of a dead Emperor. We need to grieve, have your forgotten already?"

We walk further, when I see something odd: A snow flake lands on one of the colorful leaves.

I look up. It begins to snow.

"Snowing? We have autumn." Zhu Li states the obvious. I look at this odd change of the nature…Winter has come even before all leaves left their trees?….hope that this is not a bad omen.

We continue walking, while the snow continues falling.

* * *

The first chapter. Still no one of KFP, but this will come. So be patient.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except16 for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	3. A Hut

"I don't want to be alone, I want to be left alone."

**Audrey Hepburn**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter II:** A Hut

"Are you Tai Lung?"

Not again….and I have thought already, that I could relax with the small bowl full with rice in my hand. I take another bite of it and look around to the person, while raising my hat with one finger. This guy is not a surprise. A young feline, who looks like someone, who thinks that he knows how to fight, but has never fought in his whole life. To his right is a grey canine and to his left a brown snake. I don't care to which species they belong.

"Yes, who is asking?" I ask them. It's no use denying it. I did it once and they fought still against me. For months I am trying already to help the people, while traveling around China, but everywhere they recognize me as the most feared Kung Fu Warrior, who had ever lived. Not that I dislike this title, but it makes things much more difficult. Even when I help the people, after some time they talk about me with persons, who are hunting me. Either of duty, money or simply glory. One even for justice, although I still don't know, what I have done to him.

"I am Zhong Hou…" he points out to the canine, "…this is Zhi…", and now at the Snake, "…and this Wen Ruo."

That needs to be a mistake: Naïve, Young and Weak. Exactly the attributes I give to the guys, who want to fight against me. Their parents had a good sense of humor naming them in this way.

"And let me guess: You are here, because you want to challenge me to a duel or fight against me with the help of your friends here to punish me for something or someone or something like that. Am I right?"

He looks surprised. "No not at all, Master Tai Lung. We want to become your disciples."

Ah, yes this reason I have forgotten almost. There are no many people, who want to become disciples of an infamous criminal. But my answer is always the same.

"No, I don't take disciples." I reply chewing the remaining rice in the bowl. Soon I will not have the time to eat it.

He looks at me shocked. "But…but…why?" he mutters, but I ignore him and call for the bill.

I sense that the whirls of these guys have changed. Anger. They will attack soon. And there I sense something in his hand. He throws it, but I capture it with my chopsticks. It is a knife shaped like a diamond.

"So you changed your mind, what?" I ask the question, which no one needs to answer. I still regret that the fight needs to take place in this tavern.

"Attack him!" this Naïve Guy yells and they charge me. First is the snake. He attacks me with his tail and is rather fast. He remembers me of Viper, but is far away from her skill level. I dodge the attacks easily, as well like the throwing knifes of the feline, which I dodge or repel with ease. Then the Weak Guy, the snake, attacks with his fangs, but I redirect his head directly into the empty bowl, where he hits hard and faints. As the next is the Young Guy, who had drawn a war hammer. He hammers it down on me, but I relocate my weight on one side of the stool, so it lifts up and away from the target of the hammer. The Young Guy smashes the wooden ground, before he tries again to hit me. With my chopsticks I grab his nose, lift him up in the air and throw him at his feline friend. Both of them smash against the next wall.

I relocate my weight once again to normal and stand up. I look around. Not much was damaged at least, but the other customers look at me with a frightened face. I sigh.

I go to the feline, who is still lying below his fainted friend. He is still conscious. "An advice for the next time: Your Snake friend is too slow, your canine friend too weak and you should take a more active role in fighting than your friends."

He sighs and then faints as well. I go to the host and take out the remaining money I still have. "This is for the food. Sorry, but I can't pay for the damages."

"Don't worry." the smiling rabbit host replies, "When my nephew had brought the City Guard, I will force these guys to pay for it."

I smirk. "That is good."

"Only to be sure: You are really Tai Lung?"

I sigh. "Yes, I am."

"You look not so evil how you are described. There are very horrible stories about your atrocities, which the people tell themselves."

"They are true, but since then…I changed."

"I see. You have much trouble with people, like these three."

"Yes. Even when I try to help the people, they can't forget my atrocities. And cause of such guys, I don't even have time to relax for a while."

"I see….maybe I can help you."

"How?"

"There is a village few days away from here. It is located right in the middle of the Aomi Plateau northwestern of here. The people there are so isolated from the outside world, that I bet that they have not heard about you or the Dragon Warrior. Or even Oogway."

"Can this really be? I have already thought about leaving China, but when this is really true, it makes the things much easier."

"Yes, but you should look out. These Plateau is wide and full of hidden holes."

"I will keep this in mind. Thanks a lot for this. You rendered me a great favor right now."

"Not as big as you. I will let these three pay more than the repairs cost. Much more." he says while giving me the bag, I have ordered earlier. It is full with rice.

I smirk and go back to my seat. I take the staff, which I am using to look like a blind man and leave the tavern. Outside I hide my eyes with my hat to support this illusion. Not that I would need my eyes so desperately. I have still my See without Seeing.

I take the route to northwest, when I feel something wet on my foot. I look down and see snowflakes, which are landing there like everywhere on this ground. I look up. It is really snowing. At this time of the year….Odd.

I continue my walk and need much time to do this. The snowing becomes more intense and I begin to doubt, if I will not need to hide somewhere…..No, I go further.

Finally I reach the location I wanted to find. I have heard stories, that the Plateau had no real entrance. To reach it you have to climb on the walls which lead finally to the Plateau. In front of one of these I am standing right now. The snowing makes it hard to see, but I still can detect some cracks, where I could climb on. I can also see the peak of this mountain. Not very high, but the Plateau is famous for its wide and not its height.

So strong snowing, few cracks at a straight and greasy wall, I want to climb on….I grin. Finally something which comes closer to be a challenge.

I drop the bag and look upwards. I can detect an edge at the mountain big enough. I throw the staff upwards with as much strength I have it reaches the edge. The same I do with the bag, before I make some warm-ups. The grey cloak I am wearing is not there for warming against winter climate.

I focus on one of the cracks…..and then I fall on my four paws and jump as high as needed. I reach the crack and grab it with one of my paws, while the other holds the hat in place. I use this position to jump to the next crack and so on. Slowly, but steady I come higher and higher and…..WOOOH!

…The stone, which I grabbed slid down and I with it almost.

So: strong snowing, sliding down stones, which I need to stay in place and few cracks at a straight and greasy wall, I want to climb on….Better it can't become. Only a beaten up Po would be better.

I reach the edge and look up again. The snowing begins to subside slowly and my vision gets better. I detect another edge and do the same thing like last time. After the next edge I repeat myself till I reach the peak, while the snowing has ended completely already. Lucky timing I must admit. The Sun is setting right in this moment at the western horizon of the Plateau. A wonderful view, which is supported by the snow lying on the ground and reflecting the shining sun.

When the sun leaves the horizon, my night vision starts. I look around and detect my staff and bag further in the front of me. Have become stronger once again.

Before I take a step to it, I check my See without Seeing. It is new to me to use it on snow and it feels rather odd. Still I can detect the big hole right between me and my stuff. The hole is hidden, because of the snow. So in a way this early snow is a blessing and a curse in one. I walk round the hole and take my stuff. With this I continue my journey.

The next two days are rather unspectacular. I have enough food, so I don't starve, but my water is coming to an end. Neither above nor below the snow is wood to burn it. I am freezing already and when I have drunk my last drop of water, I will die of thirst. I need to find this village or at least a clue to it…..seems that simply walking around don't do the trick this time. I drop my bag in the snow and begin to touch the snow with one of my paws.

This is a further developed technique of See without Seeing. I use it normally to sense closer enemies, but in this special variation I extend the range of this. Normally it is rather difficult to maintain in a range further than 2 miles, because I look in every direction the air is found. But with the limitation of the snow, it can become easier. I focus. 1 mile….nothing…

2 mile…still nothing…

5 miles…still nothing and I feel the start of a headache….still a little further….

Hmm….that is odd. In a range of 6 miles I can't sense anything in a specific location. Like something have stopped the snow from falling there….worth to examine it.

I take my bag and continue in this direction.

At Sunset I reach it: A hut. A solid one built out of wood. Not the youngest wood anymore, but still a proof of good craftsmanship.

I pass the house and look, what I have already detected with my See without Seeing….a Valley.

It is hidden below the snow as well like the village, which is found there. Seems that I have found it. There are fields for rice, which are frozen cause of the cold and even a small lake right outside of the village….also frozen…..abruptly I realize that I am still freezing.

I turn around to the hut and begin to knock on the door. "Hello?!" I yell to the interior. No answer.

"Hello?!" I ask again, but a little louder than the last time. Still no answer.

I touch the wood with of my paws and begin to focus on the remaining water in this old trees….the hut is empty.

I open the door, which was not locked and enter it. Still not much warmer than outside, but I see a fireplace and prepared wood right beside it. I take some of it and put it inside the stony fireplace. I ignite it and immediately it starts to get warmer. Now I have time to look around and realize that everywhere is dust. It needs to be some time since the last time that someone had lived here with the hut's wooden furniture. At least he was prepared, if he or she would have come back. I can't complain.

Still the style of architecture is different from the ones, I am accustomed in China. Seems odd…but who cares, when you have the choice between an odd warm hut and the death through freezing. My choice is not hard to choose.

I find a window and open it. The cold air comes back once again, but I still want to see the setting sun. The Village looks so peaceful…finally a place, where I can relax for a while….

* * *

The second chapter and finally a character of KFP. Hope you like to see Tai Lung back once again. :)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except16 for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	4. Ansehe Wan

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."

**William Shakespeare**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter III:** Ansehe Wan

Eyes….yes this fits.

This city is full of eyes. When you are walking around, chatting, eating or even sleeping. Always someone has an eye on you. No sign of privacy here.

I begin to walk on the wooden road.

Ansehe Wan or Black River Bay. A city no one really likes. Especially the citizens of it. It was built in the Black River. Yes inside the river. Not at the banks or an island, but simply on the water. All the buildings and roads are standing on solid pillars out of wood. Only the borders of the city are at the banks like for example the Docks.

I reach the bridge to the eastern Banks and continue walking.

Ansehe Wan reminds me of this Swamp City, where I have met Tai Lung. But the climate here is much hotter. Obviously Tropical. Dawns and Dusks are the most trickery times of day: Thick fog is swirling around in these times, which is why even a guy with night vision like me has problems to see someone, who could watch me. Still it is the best time to stay hidden as well, which is why I am walking at this time of the day right now.

I begin to hear something.

And if this city wasn't already bad enough, its citizens are not much better. Beside the natives, who dislike the newcomers, the newcomers are much worse. They are the whole scum of the world. I have already seen people from home and some birds called turkeys from somewhere I have never been. And here he needs to hide.

I recognize this melody. I reach the banks and see the reason for the music: an old snake with black-yellow striped pattern, a black head and tail, is playing his fiddle. It is the same blind guy from the tavern. It is almost a life time ago.

"Have never thought to see you once again." I mutter loud enough that he needs to hear me. He stops playing and grins.

"The young feline from that day. You sound fine."

"I am. And how are you?"

"Fine as well. I have heard you have taught some oxen some lessons."

"Yeah, they were stubborn and needed these lessons desperately. But let us stop talking about me. How have you been? How could you end here in the worst city on the world?"

He chuckles. "I don't know, if it is the worst city of the world, but this is so, because I have no clue where I have end up. I go there where the wind leads me."

"I see….rather practical philosophy."

"Yes, indeed…..you need to have a rather interesting philosophy as well, when you have not heard on my advice back then."

"That with the fear? I have heard on it. But they were frightened and not me."

He smirks. "I see….so why are you in the worst city of the world?"

I see something in the fog. "Sorry, old man, but I need to go. Someone is waiting for me."

I begin to take the first step, when he stops me with his old voice. "I can only repeat my advice from back then. You should look out for the fear. It is always there, where you are not expecting it."

I turn around to him and nod. Then I go further to the Eastern Docks.

For the last months I have searched him. Weeks ago I heard that he should be here and so I took the next ship. Proper asking and eavesdropping has not let to a single clue about his whereabouts. Till today. Finally I have found you!

I reach my destination: An old tavern right in the middle of the Eastern Docks. It is built like the buildings in the Black River, which means inside the water on pillars. A friend of him is the owner. I need to be careful.

I enter it and almost immediately I get welcomed by the typical characteristics of a tavern, which is full with Seaman. I smell alcohol, I hear the too loud noise of chatting or playing – at least no fighting – and I see the tavern is so full that it should have exploded already long ago.

It is hard to go through these used tables, stools, benches and chairs without knocking on someone. Then a big and fat pig stands up right into my way, so I need to stop.

"Don't be afraid. Fear is an illusion, which controls the weak. You are not weak…." I hear the words of an odd black bear from the closest table, before the pig frees my way. I go directly to the bar, where another pig is standing. Tough guy I would guess. Have not met a single not tough host in this land since I am here. Odd for such a country like China.

"What do you want?" he asks me rudely, but I don't think he needs to be polite by such customers.

"One cup wine. A strong one." I order and he pulls out a cup and a small barrel full with this transparent wine, which is found in China. I drink the cup empty in one go.

"Another one?" he asks me still holding the barrel in his hand.

"No. But I want to talk with him." I reply warming-up my neck.

"I don't kn…" he wants to say, but I interrupt him: "You know who I mean. Your old friend." I glare at him and he puts the barrel back, where it was before.

"He doesn't want to talk with you, Shadow." he says directly. At least not a big talker.

"He will need to. A No, I am not accepting." I reply and add after I notice something, "And it can end better for him, when he talks with me, instead of watching me only."

I see him in the corner to the right of the bar. Sitting in the shadows, hiding himself except his snout. I have also realized that some of the customers have stood up. This needs to be his guard.

"Indifferent. He still doesn't want to…" the pig wants to say, but he interrupts him, "I want to talk with him. Bring another candle."

The surprised pig does what he was said to do, while I stroll to the chair opposite of his. I realize that the backdoor is only one or two steps away from his position.

After the pig had brought the candle, I can finally see his face: His ice-blue eyes, his yellow lynx face and his somehow arrogant mien.

"For a refugee of Tian Yi's army, you seem to live well." I say while remembering the day I have seen him the first time. It was in Gongmen City, where we have captured him as a part of the Intelligence Group of Tian Yi. He was brought to the Kung Fu Council, but could escape shortly after we left the City.

"So you have informed yourself about me?" he asks curiously.

"Of course I have. Your real name is Pantu. After your escape out of Gongmen City you were on the run. You have stayed nowhere for too long. That's why it was pretty hard to find you."

"And why have you searched for me? Tian Yi is beaten or not?"

I nod my head. "Yes he is, but I still need your knowledge. You were once a member of the Order of the Black Claw. You were an insider. And you are my only lead to where I can find the Order. Its old HQ was left behind empty."

He chuckles. "And you think I will talk? Here? It seems, you don't know, what the Order is doing with traitors, who have left it."

"I have experience in this matter. They kill them. Like they killed all the other survived members of Tian Yi's former Intelligence Group. I have searched for them as well and I bet you have heard about this like me."

He keeps silent. "I admit that for a Non-Member of the Order your skill of information collecting is quite impressive."

"Like I said: I have experience in this matter. After my last state there are still three survivors. Two, which I can't find – and probably this is the reason, why they still live – and you. You are in danger."

He glares at me. "You are wrong. I am safe."

"When you mean the thugs behind me, you should know better than me, that they are no real guards against the Order."

He keeps silent once again for a while. "I don't have many possibilities in my position. These thugs are the best I can get."

I stretch out my face closer to his. "I can give you something better than them."

He looks me directly into the eyes. "So this is it? I will give your knowledge about the Order and you will protect me. Don't make me laugh."

"I am better than all your thugs."

"And you are alone. And I don't trust you. You have broken your word once, so what stops you from doing it again."

I knew that this topic would come, but I have hoped that not. "Back then….I changed. The situation around me changed. I had no other possibilities except ignoring my promise. But such a thing will not happen again."

"I still don't trust you, Cien. Yeah, I know your name as well. Or should I call you Shadow of the West? Yes, in this way the people call you after the incident with Tian Yi. His former army had cared for this."

I sigh. "I don't care how the people call me as long as I get the information from you."

"You don't get it. I will not tell you. And now leave. I need to find a better hideout than this."

I know that his thugs have stood up once again. "You still don't realize it, do you? I have not come here to negotiate with you, if you would give me this information or not. I have come here to get it."

"Yes, of course…" he chuckles, when I hear the loud slam of a door. Finally they are here.

"There is a saying in my home, Pantu: when you go into the Lion's Den, you should have an ace up in your sleeve."

"Where is the owner of this rathole!?" the leader of this new group of thugs, a rhino, yells. The Pig leaves his bar with a club and gets accompanied by the thugs of Pantu.

"Me. Who is asking?"

"I am here to tell you finally, what I think about this so called tavern: It is smelly. It is sticky. It is the ugliest place on earth. And all the people, who enter it, are idiots, because they don't see it."

Direct, but effective. I see like the customers stand up as well.

"And the customers are not only idiots, they are also smelly, st…" his further words are interrupted by a fist in his face. The customers attack the thugs and the thugs attack the customers. As planned no one cares for us anymore.

"Your protection has vanished right now." I say to him, preparing that he would attack me.

He licks his lips. And then he stands up – as well as me – and runs to the backdoor. After he had opened and passed it, he trips over one end of a staff and almost falls into the water, but can still hold himself on the railing. When he turns around the staff hits his head hard, but not so hard, that he would faint.

"You see, it is never harmful to have a second ace in the sleeve." I say, while leaving the tavern as well and closing the door behind me. The staff wielder beside me is my gorgeous vixen Aijna. Her Sideswept Bang is shorter now, but still as scarlet as ever. She wears newer black clothes, which fit perfectly to her figure, as well like a grayish cloak. I grin. We have matching clothes.

In her hand is the Staff of Sun Wukong, I have given it to her so I would be harder to detect.

Its emerald colors are shining even in the darkness of the night only supported by the light of the small torches.

"You were great, gorgeous." I compliment her.

"Don't talk to me, but to him. I want to leave this place as fast possible." is her not so polite reply, but I don't care much about this. I come closer to Pantu's head and grab it hard. "Only to inform you: the Dragon Warrior and his friends are not here. So you have a choice to make: Either it will be the soft way or the hard way. Choose wisely."

He waits with his answer and I begin to raise my right fist.

"Okay, the soft way." he accepts finally, "But not here. When you could find me, the Order can as well. I want to be safe, before I talk."

I let him go and grin back at Aijna. "Why are my interrogations always so easy?" I ask amused.

Then we hear a yell. A loud yell. It comes from the tavern, where we look at immediately. The yell ends and we hear like the noise of fighting subsides, but there for the noise of destroyed furniture increases much more. After a while of asking faces at each other someone comes flying through the wall in front of me. I – and Pantu as well – can still fall on our knees before the flying rhino hits us. Instead he hits the water behind Pantu.

We look at each other and then at the hole in the wall. I crawl to it and look inside. All the thugs and customers are lying knockout on the ground of the destroyed tavern. And this time it so strong destroyed, that you would not be able to detect that this was once a tavern. Everything is destroyed and in the middle of this destruction is standing the bear from earlier. I look at his armor, which is patched together by green and black plates and strapless, and detect thereby his collar: it is white. He is a Moon Bear, from which Aijna have talked once. They are found in her home country.

I look around more and realize that this guy have done this all alone. "Wow…" I mutter quietly and regret it shortly after: the bear hears it and detects me immediately. His eyes have no color at all and I can see his sharp teeth, while he growls at me.

"Eh, wait…I am not an enemy." I say, while he takes a step closer to me. Then he takes another and his angry face doesn't change at all.

"Hey, wait…Stop!" I try to stop him, but he comes still closer. And then he yells once again and charges me.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stooooooooooooooppppppppp!" I yell before and in the moment, when he dashes me and sends me flying. I see still like the tavern diverges from me and the black water of the river comes closer. And then I hit it hard….

My last thought before I faint: Why?

* * *

The third chapter and you can see my OC Cien once again. Hope you like to see him back. :)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	5. Snow Panda

"What is the life without love? Eternal Winter. Cold and Snow."

**David Gemmell, **_**In the Realm of the Wolf**_

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter IV:** Snow Panda

"Yes now it is ready." I say and look at my work.

"What is this, Po?" Viper asks behind me.

"Don't you see? Snow Dragon Warrior!"

The last weeks it had snowed stronger than usually and that even before the winter had started. Today is the first day without snowing. That's why I have built a Snow Copy of myself in battle posture. It looks great!

"Eh, really? It looks like a common Snow Panda for me.", Monkey, who has stepped to Viper, replies.

"What?! Can't you see the difference? This posture. This blowing cape. This Strength. This Awesomeness!"

"This belly…it is obviously Po." Mantis replies chuckling and the others join him. I can't admit that I am calm, although I know this was only a joke.

"Po, have you built this?" Crane, who had left the Training Hall in this moment, asks. Still one to impress!

"Yeah, I have. Do you recognize who it is?"

He looks at me with an odd look. "Po, you are the Dragon Warrior and you have built a Snowman like a child." he replies and shakes his head and I feel scolded, "There for you could do much better things with snow.", he adds before he throws…"Pfffff…!"…a snowball at my face.

"Ha ha, yeah." Monkey replies joining him by creating snowballs with his feet. Mantis and he throw Snowballs at me.

"That's it! You have angered the Great Dragon Warrior right now." I say with acted anger and begin to create snowballs. After some time a real war starts in this place before the Training Hall.

"Guys, can't you stop?" Viper tries to bring out peace, but a misdirected snowball from Monkey hits her. "Okay, I have enough! I will show you how one needs to throw snowballs." and then she joins my ranks. I create the snowballs and she fires them with her elastic body. Soon the others are more hiding behind their self-created walls of snow, instead of firing back.

Then Monkey achieves to throw another snowball, but we can dodge it easily. "What the…!" we hear a yell behind us. We look around and see Tigress, who was hit in the face by the snowball.

"Who have thrown this?!" she demands to know immediately. Somehow I don't want to be in Monkey's skin right now. But maybe…I can help him.

"Eh, Tigress this is not important now. I want to talk with you." I say to her trying to hide the others behind my body.

"Po, not now!" she demands and tries to see, if someone tries to escape.

"But it is important!" I insist and it is not a lie. I wanted to talk with her for a while already. But either we had to fight against some bandits – awfully much appeared after the incident with Tian Yi – or we hadn't the chance to talk. Sometimes it looked even like, she wanted to avoid me.

She sighs and then nods. I lead her away from Monkey and the others. "And don't destroy my Snow Pa…I mean Snow Dragon Warrior!" I yell back, "Mantis, I have seen this!"

We leave the Training Hall and reach the peak, where the Peace Trees of Heavenly Wisdom were still standing – the best place to talk in private. The two trees were the only ones, who had lost their leaves in time before the snowing began. Like they would have known that winter will start sooner this time. Their branches are holding firmly the snow on it and don't even waver. With the shining sun and magnificent mountains behind it, it looks even a little romantic. And that is what I need.

"So, Po what do you want?" Tigress asks and I hear that she thinks about being completely somewhere else. I turn around and show her, what is inside the box I have carried around for a while already.

"Tada!" I say and she looks at the still closed box.

"You have dragged me out, because you wanted to show me a box?" Tigress says with an annoyed voice.

"No….no of course! What is inside It.", I reply and hide the box again, so I can open it, "You see, since your birthday – or better the day, where Shifu adopted you – I have thought, that I have not given you a good present."

"You have given me none, because I don't want to have presents at my…birthday."

"Yeah, not a good present, that's what I am saying! So I have thought what I could give you." I hear a sigh, "And because neither Master Shifu nor the Furious Five know what you like…"

"I like Kung Fu."

"…yeah, beside this, I went back to the orphanage, where you were raised as a small kitten. They could help me. Tada!" I exclaim once again and show her the interior of the box. First she doesn't look properly, but then she recognizes it.

"This…this is the necklace, which my parents had left with me." she says and I nod. It was a crystal necklace shaped like a tear. Its colors are changing always from deep blue to emerald green.

She takes the necklace in her hand and examines it. "Where…where you have found it?" she asks finally still surprised.

"Well, I have searched for it. The orphanage manageress said that in your early life, you have worn this necklace always and everywhere, but one day, you have lost it. They could not find it since then. But after searching the whole orphanage – and showing the kids the awesomeness of the Dragon Warrior – I have found it finally at the roof. No one knows how it ended up there."

After my explanation she looks down on the necklace again. She smiles even, while caressing the necklace slowly. I smile as well at this sight. She seems to be once again a child.

But then her face turns serious and maybe also sad. "Why have you done this, Po?"

I am surprised. "I said it already, a better present and…", "The truth, Po." she demands and steps closer to me. I scratch my head and then I admit it. "I wanted only to be closer to you."

"Closer to me?" she asks, while stepping to the cliff. "Yes, closer….you see, more than friends. While thinking, how many times, you have helped me always I think…we are already more. So I wanted to show…that it doesn't need to be a one-sided relationship." I have stepped back to the tress and she has still not turned to me.

"Po,….what are you feeling for me?" she asks in the same voice as earlier.

I gulp. "I think….no I know, that I love you." she doesn't answer, "And I thought you feel the same way."

She sighs. "Po, we can't become closer than now." she replies and turns around to me. I feel like someone had hit me.

"What?...Why?" I stammer.

"We can't.", she replies, while turning her head away from me.

"But why? Are….you disliking me?"

"No…no…I like you. More than the others. But there lies the problem."

"Problem? I don't see a problem."

"Because you never think everything through!" she reacts angered, "You are always so…..We are Kung Fu Warriors! Our destiny is Kung Fu. Romantic is only in the way."

"That's not true!"

"It is! I have felt it myself." the last words she has said quieter and I look at her. I still can't believe it. "It has started, while we wanted to defeat Shen. I felt it already then, but have not cared much about it. But then Tian Yi came. I have almost ripped off Cien's arm only, because I was worried of you!"

I listen and I feel more and more hits. "I can't lose my control! My discipline! When this happens, I can harm someone. Even people, who are close to me. But as a Kung Fu Warrior, my duty is to protect the innocent. I can't lose control even for a moment."

She glares at me, but her eyes are rather sad than angry. "Po, we can't come together. Never. No matter, what we feel. It is for the sake of us all."

I feel like someone had thrown me in a bottomless hole filled with Sorrow and Pain. I can't look into her eyes anymore. Then I smile.

"Eh…this is okay….I was only joking. Yeah…joking…." I stammer these lies.

"Po…"

"I need to go now. Have….still something to do. Bye." I turn around and begin running immediately.

…

I can't cry! I can't cry! I am the Dragon Warrior!

I reach the Training Grounds, where the others are speaking to each other. I pass them fast and enter the Training Hall.

I pant loud and long. Then I see the skipjack. I go to him and hit him with as much force as possible. Again and again. Again and again.

"Po?" I hear Viper's voice from behind. I stop the skipjack with one hand.

"What is it?" I ask trying to conceal my pain.

"Are you okay?" she asks in her innocent manner.

"Yeah, never felt better." I reply trying to imitate a smile once again. Before she can say something again, Crane enters the Training Hall. "Have you said it to him?" he asks Viper.

"No, he is…" she wants to say, but I interrupt her: "What said?"

"Master Shifu wants to talk with you. You can find him in the Hall of Warriors."

"Understood.", I reply fast, before Viper can say still something. I leave the Training Hall immediately.

* * *

The Fourth Chapter and finally you can read about Po.  
I hope you enjoy reading it and I appreciate every review.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	6. The Truth about the Wuxi Finger Hold

"With Great Power there must also come Great Responsibility."

**Ben Parker to his Nephew Peter Parker alias Spider-Man**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter V:** The Truth about the Wuxi Finger Hold

I can't show my pain. To no one!

I need to conceal it. Try to smile.

I reach the empty Jade Palace. I cross slowly the Hall of Warriors and see the meditating Shifu in front of the Moon Pool.

"Master Shifu…." I begin quietly with a hurt voice. No No….Conceal it. Conceal it!

"Master Shifu…" much better, "you wanted to speak with me?"

The red panda is not moving away from his position with Master Oogway's staff on his legs.

"Yes, I did." he begins slowly and stands up finally. He turns around to me with peaceful face, but it changes immediately after he has seen me.

"Po is something going on?" he asks me right away. Have I been found out?

"No…no…I don't know what you mean, Master Shifu."

He examines me precisely. Look Normal! You are the Dragon Warrior! Look awesome!

Finally he shrugs and I breathe out. "Whatever. About this we can talk later." he says while turning around to the Moon Pool again, "Po, I have sent for you, because I have decided to tell you something."

"Tell me something? What is it?"

He turns his head to me. "Po, what do you know about the Wuxi Finger Hold?"

This question surprises me, but I begin to collect all my knowledge on this matter. What I know about it?

"It was invented by Master Wuxi in the third Dynasty. It is used by pinching an opponent's index finger and simultaneously flexing your pinky. To activate it you need to end the flexing."

"And…you know what the Wuxi Finger Hold does with the opponent?"

"Eh…I heard it would affect the Chi of the opponent….and I saw a really big golden halo while using it on Tai Lung….and…."

"So you have no clue?"

I nod. Odd that I have never thought about this. Master Shifu turns around to the Moon Pool once again and keeps silent. It lasts long enough that I become worried.

"Po about what I will talk to you now, I have thought very long. It is a secret all the older Masters of Kung Fu share. The Truth about the Wuxi Finger Hold.", by the last sentence he has turned around again, "What I will tell you, you need to consider as a secret as well, understood?"

I nod eagerly. The truth….what a terrible secret lies there?

"So let us begin with Master Wuxi. Back then Master Wuxi has noticed that the world of his time was….unbalanced. Inharmonic. And he seemed to have deduced something in this matter: The ones with the greatest unbalance in their selves were the greatest threat of harmony and peace of the world. No matter how often he beat them, they still came back. So Master Wuxi invented a technique with which he could bring back balance in these foes….by force."

"By force?"

"Yeah…Master Wuxi saw no alternative except killing them and this he wanted to prevent. No one of these foes even tried to gain Inner Peace. More even. They were far away from this and didn't even try to gain normal peace like the common people. They lived in Chaos and they loved it."

"Wo, Wo, Inner Peace? I thought we are talking about balance?"

"It is the same, Po. Inner Peace is the perfection of harmony in yourself and so the perfection of balance of the inner Chi. There is no difference."

"Ah…" I mutter, "…Awesome..."

"Maybe.", Shifu replies reserved, "The Wuxi Finger Hold on its own is a technique invented by a genius. It uses the grade of balance of its user and its victim to be effective. It used the user's balance as a template, as a point of comparison and it compares it with its victim. The greater the difference between victim and user in matters of balance the stronger the Wuxi Finger Hold. It releases the Chi of its victim so he or she becomes balanced."

"Ah so this was the golden halo I have seen….Awesome….Wait a minute….So the Wuxi Finger Hold is not a technique to beat its enemy or am I missing something?"

Master Shifu lowers his head. "Originally it shouldn't be, but Master Wuxi has underestimated the force of the release. Instead of reestablishing the Inner Peace in its victims, it…."damages" them. The stronger the release the stronger the damage. It could kill even." I stare at him shocked, "That is the reason, why the Wuxi Finger Hold is a secret between the older Masters of Kung Fu. It is our strongest weapon against the foes, but also the deadliest. Usually a Master doesn't use it except there is no alternative and the teaching of it is only allowed to the most trusted and strongest disciples…." he looks up to me, "but you have figured it out for yourself. A thing no one would have expected, because since Master Wuxi no disciple was able to figure it out without guidance."

I stare at him still shocked. "Then….that I have not killed Tai Lung….was only luck?"

Master Shifu shakes his head. "No….like explained the grade of the Inner Balance of its user is used as a template. When you used the Wuxi Finger Hold against Tai Lung, you were as imbalanced as him. The damage was at its lowest. But still…it was strong enough to blind him temporally as well like sent him flying hundreds of miles away from here. Now…you can imagine the strength of this technique."

I am still shivering. I could have killed him! I used a technique without proper knowledge about it and have killed someone almost. I look down on the fingers who had performed this technique.

"Po, there is still one thing you need to know." Master Shifu gets my attention back, but we get interrupted by Zeng storming inside the Hall of Warriors screaming: "Bad News! Bad News!"

We look at him while he reaches us panting. "What is it, Zeng? I told you not to interrupt us."

"We have received a message from the capital."

"The Capital? Who sent it?"

"The Imperial Court. The Emperor…is dead."

I look back at Master Shifu. He looks still serious, but not sad.

"I see…I have heard that his health was leaving him…" he thinks for a while, "Let the Furious Five and all the people of the village know, that at noon we will stay silent for a minute. And sent for the Five. I will need to talk to them."

"Understood, Master Shifu." Zeng replies and leaves the Hall of Warriors fast.

"Before the Five come, I need to tell it to you.", he says while marching back to the Moon Pool, "When the user of this technique has reached Inner Peace, then the effectiveness of the Wuxi Finger Hold is at its highest. And you have obtained Inner Peace already."

"So…this means, if I would have used the Wuxi Finger Hold today, I would have killed Tai Lung."

"Correctly."

"But…why have you not told me this earlier?"

Shifu sighs. "That was a thing I had to decide. I didn't know if it would be wise to tell it to you right away. Especially because I thought you would need more time to obtain Inner Peace. But I decided to tell it to you because of the circumstances of the last months."

"The attacks?"

"And Tian Yi. Something bad is going to happen. I feel it. The times are more chaotic than in every other time. The possibility that you will need to use the Wuxi Finger Hold is higher than I have ever expected."

I lower my head. "So this means….I will need to kill again." I mutter more as a fact, than a question. Before Shifu can say something to this, the Furious Five enter the Hall of Warriors. Tigress is at the front and when I look at her, the pain returns. I look away.

"Good that you have come so fast." Master Shifu greets them.

"We heard the Emperor died.", Tigress mutters.

"What will happen now?" Viper asks.

"For the Jade Palace…not much." Master Shifu replies, "But for me. There is a thing all of you need to know." he makes a break, "I will depart tomorrow."

"What?" every one of us says. "Where to, Master Shifu?" Tigress asks.

"To the Capital. There is a friend…who could be sad cause of the death of the Emperor. In a personal way. I will try to support…the friend."

We nod. "As long as I am away, you, Tigress, will represent the Jade Palace as its most experienced Master."

"Yes, Master." Tigress replies bowing.

"Good, you are dismissed. And don't forget the minute of silence at noon. The gong will be used to signal It.", every one of us nods. The Five leave one by one the Hall of Warriors. Tigress turns around as the first. Viper tries to talk with me, but I turn away. She leaves silently.

"Po, there is one advice I want to give you." Master Shifu stops my from leaving after the others are gone. I turn around to him with a questioning look.

"Po, I know that you have problems with killing your opponents. And I understand it very well, but…there are times, where you need to kill. For the greater good. Do you understand this?"

"Yes, I do, Master Shifu.", I reply trying to act a confident smile. Somehow after seeing Tigress once again, I can't.

"Good, then let us talk, what happened…" he tries to start this matter once again, but I interrupt him fast: "Sorry Master Shifu. I…I need to go…to my dad. Yeah my dad. He was a big fan of the Emperor, so….I will need to comfort him."

"I see…" he says with a warily look, "Good then go. You are dismissed." He returns to his meditating.

I begin to leave the Hall of Warriors. The day has begun so nice: Finally it was not snowing again and all of us had a little free time. I could build my Snow Panda and….and….

I leave the Palace and see that it is snowing again. The day has ended horrible.

* * *

Fly, Fly, Fly!

Fly through the Sky!

Fly, Fly, Fly!

Fly through the Sky!

I love flying! Yippee! Finally after so long being caged inside a wet box I can fly again. Man, have I missed it to spread my membrane wings! They were glued to my body already, because of this odd mixture the Master had put me into. But now I am free!

Fly, Fly, Fly!

Fly through the Sky!

Wait a minute! I have almost forgotten the mission, Master had sent my flying. Silly me! I look around and see like it begins to snow once again. Brrr…..it gets cold once again. I hate this cold weather….I can't remember such weather ever in my whole life….how long was I caged? ….No matter. I am free!

Fly, Fly, Fly!

Fly through the Sky!

I see like a Valley spreads right below me. And there is this Palace out of Jade! Or was it the other way around? …

Whatever. Nose Dive!

Yuhuuuuuuu!

I love flying!

There is the village inside the Valley. Now only need to find….to find…..What was it once again? Mr. Peng's Fireworks Shop? … No! Mr. Pung's Rice Shop? … No! …. Ah, I have it! Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop!

Looking around once again….there it is! Another Nose Dive!

Yeah!

Looking inside the shop. Mr. Ping has filled a bowl full with this noodle soup for himself. Right timing! I fly to it. There is my target. Geronimoooo!

Splat!

* * *

The Fifth Chapter continues with Po. :)  
I hope you enjoy reading it and I appreciate it when you would review this chapter.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	7. Blind Kitten

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

**Mark Twain**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter VI:** Blind Kitten

The snow is melting slowly. The fire heats the kettle and soon I will be able to put the rice into it.

Rice…the only food available for me right now. For days nothing different.

The days were peaceful, that I can't deny. Days of meditating, training, eating and sleeping…..such luxuries combined with not being chained I had the last time, while being Shifu's disciple.

Shifu's disciple….long ago and it will happen never again.

I put the rice inside the kettle and it begins boiling.

My supplies are beginning to end. What should I do, when they end ultimately? Back where I have come from or should I go to the village?

Till now I have not visited it. Somehow I was not interested in it. If the words of the host would have proven themselves wrong….I don't want to trade my peace for this risk…at least for now…

I fish the rice out of the kettle and put into the bowl in my hand. I blow the warm air away from it and walk to the table and one of the two chairs. It is not dusty anymore since I live here.

I take my chopsticks and begin to eat…still hot, but acceptable.

I think I have no other choice than going to the village. The alternative is riskier. Hope the villagers have something left for me….the early winter could have surprised them as well like me.

The last days it had snowed almost every day. The reason why I needed to train inside the hut and mediate more than training. After all I want to train my See without Seeing more with the help of the snow. It is a great opportunity….

I hear something. Slowly I put the bowl down and go to the next window….I see something before it hides…People? Yes probably. They have seen me. Hmmm….should I greet them? Maybe a more sneaker approach would be more useful.

I go to the other side of the hut and leave the hut through the window there. After touching the snow I focus and sense the ones, who are hiding….children…,.four….I shake my head grinning. They seem to have come from the village and are hiding beside a small snow hill on the other side of the hut….I think I will play with them.

I look to my left, where the smooth cliff down to the valley is found. When I go low enough I will be able to hide from their sight so I go there.

While circling the kittens I focus my other seeing on them. One of them has left them and is going to the hut. Sneaking….Wrong direction, when you ask me….

I have circled them finally and am right behind them. The other three are felines. Mountain Cats like it seems. I can't judge their gender, because their backs are directed at me. They are wearing dresses prepared for winter…but not so high quality. They look….used….The last one has reached the hut already. I sneak further.

"Why is she taking so long…?" the voice of a boy asks whispering. It is the kitten to the left.

"You know why…" the voice of a girl replies. It is the kitten to the right.

"Yeah I know, but still it would be better, than she would hurry up…." the first kitten continues talking. "And risking being captured by the person there? Not a chance…" the third kitten – a boy – says.

"By staying here for too long, we risk being captured as well. And don't forget, that Yan wants to know who this guy is as fast as possible." the first kitten replies.

Yan? Ask myself who this is. I look up and see that the fourth kitten – a girl – is looking in my direction, while shaking her head….and I realize something else: She is blind.

That is confusing. Why have they sent her?

"Go…Go further. Look more properly…" the other girl whispers to her. The blind kitten hesitates….has she noticed me although being blind? Finally she nods. She goes to the door, while I reach the three others. They still can't sense me. I am still good in sneaking.

I lower my head to them.

"He is not in the hut? Where can he be?" the third kitten asks.

"Or she.", the girl suggests, "Don't know…maybe Zhu's technique doesn't work on this old hut…"

Technique?

"Till now it had worked always." the first boy replies, "No matter which house or hut. Her range is only limited. He or she is somewhere inside…"

"Nope he isn't.", I whisper to them.

I see the reaction of their bodies like they slowly realize what they have heard. They turn around slowly with a frightened face.

"Boo!" I say loud enough and all of them begin to scream. I begin to laugh, while they leave their hideout immediately and run crisscross in the direction of the hut. Not very effective, when you want to flee after my opinion. I follow them directly.

Before they can realize their mistake, they have reached the hut and turn around to me once again. I am standing exactly in front of their noses. I think I scare these kittens a little more.

"Seems I've caught three little rats here…What should I do with you?" I say in a dangerous sounding voice grinning evilly.

"No…no…please…" the third boy says. His grey fur looks almost white, because he seems to be so pale.

"We beg you…" the girl says and the first boy can't speak at all…I am still as intimidating as ever.

I sense something. The fourth kitten jumps in front of her friends and wields my staff in her hands. She doesn't look frightened although she is blind.

"Let my friends alone!" she yells at me. I examine her properly. Her fur is rather dark grayish than the lighter grey or brown of mountain cats and the spots on her body seem to be red instead of brown. She wears like the other kittens a brown dress prepared for winter, but hers look even more used. But still I bet she has it warm in it even during a blizzard. While thinking this I realize that it is rather cold topless like I am.

I look directly into her faded yellow eyes and can see resolve there despite the blindness. The bravest of all of them is like it seems the weakest….I chuckle.

Before she can react I kick the staff out of her hands, grab it and point it at her.

"Brave, but that is not enough to beat me kitten." I say. Her face still doesn't show fear.

"As long as I am able to protect my friends I don't care." she replies stubbornly and gets into a battle position.

"Zhu…don't risk our lives with your big mouth." the first boy says. I glare at him. Does he not understand what she is doing or what?

I take the staff away and position it on my shoulder. "Go.", I say, "Leave me and my hut alone.", and begin to walk away. Slowly I hear like they leave, while this Zhu girl seems to be the last. I look behind her, while she leaves the hut. Brave kitten…

Then I think about this matter. Why have they sent the blind in advance? And what have they meant with…?

I realize it. She was able to use See without Seeing. But where have she learned this…..I think I have another reason for visiting the village now.

* * *

During night it begins to snow once again. And stronger than the last days.

I guess that my visiting tomorrow will fall through. DOH.

I get to bed, but can't sleep. How could have she learned See without Seeing? Till now there was only one person able to do it and that was Thorn. And he lived his life in the Swamp. So where have she learned it? Are there more Masters of this technique? Or has she learned by instinct, because she is blind? Questions over questions, which can't be answered tomorrow. I don't know even when it will be possible….DOH!

I leave the bed and get into a meditating position. When I can't sleep then I can train at least.

I close my eyes after getting into position. Calm down and relax. Calm down and relax.

Focus. Focus. I sense the wood of ground beneath me. Focus. I sense the hut with all its furniture. Focus. I sense the walls outside of the hut. Normally here it ends, but this time I try to go further. Focus. I….sense the snow outside of the hut.

I open my eyes immediately….this was the first time that I was able to change the material while Seeing without Seeing. From wood to snow….I get better.

I close my eyes once again. Calm down. Focus.

I sense the hut once again. Focus. Focus. I sense the snow outside again. Focus. I sense….

I open my eyes again and get on my feet. I go to the window and look out. The Blizzard is strong and it is hard to see something. I focus with my eyes and still can't see more than silhouettes.

I take my cloak, hat and Staff and leave the hut immediately….which is easier said than done. The wind is so strong that it is difficult to close the door once again. But after I have done it, I go there where I have seen them.

Before I reach them, I focus on my other Seeing once again….it is harder during this blizzard. It is more chaotic. If they would be further away, I would have had problems to see or sense them at all, but this time I can sense five of them. Three in the front and two behind me. I continue walking through the snow and come into range of the first one: A Yak. He wears only pants.

"Are you searching for someone?" I ask him. He glances at me and then charges. He is using a spear against me, but I can dodge it easily even in this blizzard. Before he can attack me again, I hit his belly with my staff hard enough that even his pelt is useless. Then another hit at his head and he needs to trip backwards. I sense like the next two – again Yaks – charge at me. I dodge their spears one hit after another. They are attacking in a duo attack and are in this way much more effective, above all in this snow chaos. But they are still no match for me. I dodge in the right moment and they beat each other with their own spears. They trip back and I use this opportunity to attack the first one with a combination of attacks with the legs, arms and staff. He falls into the snow fast.

Before his friend can grab me, I dodge by kneeing down and then hammering my head into his chin…..Ow….hard chin, but he becomes unconscious still.

I look around at my first attacker, who doesn't seem to be as brave as at the start of this fight.

"Want to give up?" I ask him while increasing the volume of voice, because of the loud blizzard.

First he looks like one, who would consider this, but then his face lightens up. Probably because he can see the two remaining guys, who are trying to sneak behind me. I grin.

I hammer my staff into the snow, while they attack me. Both of them swing their spear at the same time, while I dodge the attack by stepping back and then grabbing both spears. Before they can react, I have dashed both of them against each other. They collapse, while I glare at the remaining one.

"So will you talk now?" I ask with a threatening voice this time.

He smiles obviously showing his fear. And then when I think he will talk finally, he turns around and flees. I sigh and shake my head. If he could escape me.

I begin to follow him and come closer and closer…even in this snow he is simply too slow for someone like me. I am close to grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around…what?

I sense something. Another person not far away from here lying in the snow…It is smaller…It is….I stop when I realize what I sense there. A kitten!

I turn around immediately and run to the position, where I have sensed it. It is buried below snow, so I begin dig for it. It is much snow…how long this kitten is lying there already? Finally I can free it from the snow: It is the blind kitten.

DOH! She is almost frozen to death. I look there where I can sense the fleeing Yak. He is going down to the village. DOH! Flee as fast as you can, because you had luck today.

I take her on my arms and turn around to my hut. Don't die, kitten! Don't die! I will save you!

I run back to the hut.

* * *

And Tai Lung is back! Hope you like his other side :) and I appreciate it still when you would review this chapter.

Another thing I need to mention: No Update next week. Hope you will not want to stone me for this, but it is like it is.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	8. Benkei

"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway."

**John Wayne**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter VII:** Benkei

"Uhhh….." I moan.

While my eyes open slowly, the darkness in front of me vanishes. I begin to see details. A wooden roof…? I feel like I am moved.

I try to move my head….Ahhhh! Headache…I grab my head….it begins to subside….

Where am I? What happened anyway? …Slowly the memories come back.

This bear! Ow….again headache….It subsides again.

I force myself into a sitting position. I look around. I know this place.

It is my dark cabin on Sijna's ship. And guessing from the movements of it, we seem to be on sea.

How long have I been sleeping?

I want to leave my hammock – in this room is also a hammock for Aijna – while my headache begins again. I touch my head again and realize I have a bandage there. And by looking down I realize that I have a bandage around my chest as well.

I touch it and it hurts. The point where this bear has hit me…..I shake my head while remembering this….Ow….note to myself: Don't move your head too much.

I jump down from the hammock and realize how cold the wooden ground feels…..I am nude!

I look around, while hiding the important place, although I know no one is here.

I find my clothes on a chair. I almost run there despite the pain in my head.

While grabbing my vest, I hear a crackling noise behind me. I turn around and see Aijna in the door.

"You seem to be awake finally…..would have not thought to see you like this once." she says with a gleeful grin. I realize what she means and hide it with my vest.

Man….that is embarrassing…but at least it is Aijna.

"So dress up, little Princess and come up. We have something to discuss." She says while turning around.

"Hey, I am not a little pr…!" I want to respond, but she is gone already. Crap!

I dress up fast – also my glasses – and leave my cabin. The corridor outside on the deck is short, but the light of the sun is shining stronger than I have expected. I need to block my vision with my hand till my eyes refocus to daylight.

I see the Crew of Sijna wandering around the deck doing some duties, which are needed on this ship. I go to the railing and realize that my guess from being on the Sea was absolutely right. At least the headaches don't prevent me from thinking correctly. But now the question how long I was sleeping is getting more interesting once again.

"Hey, come up sleepy Princess. We are here." I hear Sijna's voice from the right. The almost identical sister of Aijna – she has purple hair – is on the deck above the cabins, where also the Wheel can be found. I go up the stairs while replying: "I am not a Princess!"

Beside Sijna I see Aijna with the staff, Pantu as well like an unexpected guest: the bear.

"What the hell is he doing here?!" I ask immediately.

"Oh you want to throw me over board…? I knew it!" the bear yells and seems almost close to crying.

"No, Benkei. No one wants to throw you over board." Aijna replies soothing. Then she glares at me.

I scratch the back of my head. "Can someone explain me….WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

The bear called Benkei winces cause of my yell. I think he begins to cry, but instead he is reciting the Mantra I heard already: "Don't be afraid. Fear is an illusion, which…."

"Please Stop, Benkei!" Sijna intervenes immediately. She glares at me: "Cien apologize to him and say you don't want to throw him over board!"

I still have no clue what is going on, but the unified attack of glaring of Sijna and Aijna as well that the Mantra begins to sound frightening is enough, that I bow my head: "I am sorry,…Benkei. And I don't want to throw you over board. I promise!"

First nothing happens, but then the voice becomes normal once again. And when the bear has ended reciting, he begins to look at me with sorrowful eyes….oh god….

Suddenly he falls on his knees and bows his head in front of me: "I am sorry! Really sorry! For knocking you out, while being on Berserk. Please accept my apologize!"

I look at him dumbfounded. I look at Aijna and Sijna, who nod to me. Pantu in the background is close to laugh, although I don't have a clue why he is not doing it.

Awkward I tap on the bears head. "I accept your apologize." I say a little unsure. Immediately the bear comes on his feet with a joyful smile.

"Thank the Goddess! You are accepting it!" he says before he takes me into a hug.

A monstrous hug. I feel like the pain is coming back into my head, but much more intensive. And I begin…..to react….on missing….air…..AIR!

"Benkei let him go! You smash him otherwise!" Aijna intervenes in time. After the bear lets me go, I fall on my ass. I begin to pant loudly. This guy had killed me almost!

"Oh, I am sorry. Really!" the bear tries to apologize again.

"It is okay. No hard feelings! But….please….don't hug me anymore." I mutter to him, while standing up again and simultaneously going one or two steps away from him.

"So…can you explain the one or another thing to me.", I say, turning my head to Aijna. I realize that my arm is still in a protective manner directed at the bear.

"Yes, of course. This is Benkei…." Aijna wants to begin, but I interrupt her: "Wait a minute….can you say me first, how long I was sleeping?"

"Two days." Sijna replies directly.

WHAT!

"Two days?! That is impossible! How could he sent me to sleep for so long?!" I say loud.

"I know, I am sorry….I am sorry." the bear begins to say once again. "Oh don't worry." I say with an acted smile, "I was only surprised how weak I am."

"Where is the surprise?" Aijna replies smirking.

"That was a low blow!" I reply a little angry, but still maintain my acted grin as long as this bear looks like he would cry every moment.

"So where was I, before you have interrupted me so rude?" Aijna continues her explanation, "This is Benkei, a Japanese Monk."

"A Monk?" I look at him properly, "He doesn't look like one."

"I know." Benkei replies, "I was banned."

"Banned?" I wonder, "Have you broken some rules?"

"Not exactly." Aijna intervenes, "His Order is an Order of Warrior Monks."

"Warrior Monks? Something like this Shaolin I have heard about?"

"Something similar." Aijna approves.

"The reason for my ban is that I am coward." Benkei explains, "As a Warrior Monk you need to be always strong, in body like in resolve. You are not allowed to hesitate even for a moment, because this could mean the death of many innocent people. But I am whiny, easy afraid, undisciplined and someone who flies after the first signs of danger."

To the first three I can't object, but the last one….

"But you have beaten up all the thugs in the tavern?" I object.

"Yeah this is because of my Berserk Mode."

"Berserk Mode?"

"Yeah, that what we wanted to prevent few moments ago." Aijna explains.

"But he has only recited some…Mantra."

"Not any Mantra. The Mantra of Son Goku." and he adds after he sees my questioning look, "The Japanese name of Sun Wukong."

"Sun Wukong?"

"Yeah. The hero Son Goku….Sun Wukong has left many Mantras behind after his death. Some to strengthen the resolve of the ones, who read it. This Mantra is about the fear. After I was banned, I searched for it and found it. Always when I am reciting it, the fear vanishes and is replaced by courage and strength."

"A nice thing you have there….and why have you attacked me?"

He gulps and doesn't dare to look into my eyes. He is really a coward. "When I am in this Mode, I am…not able to control myself. I am attacking everyone and everything, which I see as danger. I thought I would be able to control it, when I am training it, but….it has not become better. But still I wanted to use it for the right thing…to fight injustice wherever you meet it. Like I was taught. It was the first time I used it against innocent people and I feel ashamed cause of this."

"Hope you don't start thinking about Suicide once again?" Sijna asks him. Suicide?

"No you made your point clear.", Benkei replies weakly. Something happened while I was unconscious,...hmm…whatever. Instead I ask Aijna: "And how comes you seem uninjured?"

"I dodged his attacks." she replies, "And then I…", "She hit me with this staff at my head." Benkei replies instead of her. I look at the staff immediately. It is leaned not far away against the railing.

"So a direct hit at your head deactivates this Mode?" I ask to get sure.

"Usually not. But maybe it has something to do with the fact that this staff belongs to Son…Sun Wukong.", his eyes are looking joyfully, "Because the Mantra….and the staff…."

"…belong to Sun Wukong. I get it.", I finish the sentence.

Hmm…..somehow now I have more questions than earlier. I look at Pantu who has listened to us quietly till now. He doesn't look like a prisoner.

"And you….you have told us where we need to search already?" I ask him trying to get my cool self back again.

"He has. We are on our way." Sijna replies.

"Where to?"

"The old HQ." Pantu replies.

"We have been there already. It is empty."

"Only because it looks empty doesn't mean it is.", he replies enigmatically.

"What the hell are you saying? We were there and we searched it through. In this castle was nothing to find."

"Wrong. Aijna told me you have found a destroyed map on the ground."

"It was useless. Too destroyed to picture it enough."

"These maps are found in every Outpost of the Order. Usually they show the way to the HQ. The map in the HQ shows the way to all Outposts as well like Secret HQs. As long as you know for what you need to look at. No matter if it is destroyed or not, there can still be find clues about where the Order fled."

Somehow I can hear a sense in there. Crap!

"I get it. So in other way: We made this long journey for getting a decipherer instead of an Insider. You have no clue where these Secrets HQs are right now?"

"Nope. I had a higher rank in the Order, but only the Master knows all the Secrets."

"But still you know how to read these maps?"

"That was not a Secret although I have only read the ones in the Outposts."

"I see…we have no choice than trusting you what?"

"No choice at all, yes. And there for you protect me of the Order."

"That was the deal before you tried to escape. If it is still intact, I don't know." I reply with a grin.

"You…traitor!" he says angrily.

"Don't provoke me. For now we need you. So stay useful and I reconsider this matter maybe." I reply while leaving the wheel area of the ship. I hear the loud steps of a bear.

"Cien-san, I want to talk with you." Benkei speaks to me.

"What is the matter? I hope we don't need to apologize to each other again."

"No, it has something to do with this. Aijna-sama has explained me the situation and I want to help."

"You want to help? Why?"

"Because this is injustice against you fight here. Every injustice must be eliminated, that is the highest principle of my Order."

"But you were banned….?"

"That doesn't mean that I don't believe in this. I was banned for my cowardice and not for my disbelief."

I look at him precisely…..something is odd…above all how he says all this…I have an idea.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course!"

Too loud. "How is it possible, that you were banned for cowardice anyway? I thought normally you can be taught to overcome your fear in such….institutions."

Immediately he begins to avoid my eyes. He replies with a stammering voice: "No….not in my…institution. Cowardice is not tolerated there…and courage can't be taught."

I look at him more precisely. He seems to be nervous not afraid…..Hmm….what have I learned once: the best liar mixes the lie with the truth….he obviously hides something…Hmmm….have not thought that this guy could be a good liar….I chuckle…this could be interesting…

"You can stay." I reply finally. He can be useful with his strength, but….

"But you will not use the Berserk Mode without my allowance. Is this clear?"

"Of course…" he replies still with a happy face.

I turn my back to him and go to the bow. Somehow I feel uneasy.

Then I see it: A storm at the horizon is taking shape. Bad Omen.

* * *

Been a while since the last publishing :) I hope there are still readers outside to be found. ;)  
No action here like you see, but I hope still that you like it. I appreciate it still when you would review this chapter.

A thing I need to mention: Because of different time shedules I have now, the publishing rate could end quite irregular from now on. I am sorry for this, but I don't see a way to change it for now.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	9. The Empress

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."

**Albert Einstein**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter VIII:** The Empress

"Shifu, I am happy to see you again." the Empress says.

I am looking at her. She wears her white-scarlet dress. Her most beautiful one. She is a Red panda and despite her advanced age still very attractive. I can't detect much white on her fur and her aquamarine blue eyes are still looking charming. Different from the Red Panda at her side: He wears an old brown garment with a green belt, an old staff and from his red fur I can't detect much anymore. At least his white moustache looks good enough.

"Me as well. We had not much time to talk in the last years…" Grand Master Shifu replies.

He looks at me, who I am hidden behind the pillars of the Palace. But to be hidden is not important now. They should see me, while I observe them.

"Yes since my marriage we had not talked." the Empress replies walking the path and ignoring me completely. I follow them.

"Yeah,…" Shifu nods without stopping to look at me, "Can we talk in a more private place?"

"That will not be possible." the Empress explains without looking at me, "The Shadow Division needs to have at least one pair of eyes stuck to me. This is law here in the palace. But at least we can see him."

I wanted to be seen, but out of a different reason the Empress thinks: She should think I belong to the Shadow Division while I spy her and Grand Master Shifu of the Valley of Peace. That is a too delicate job that I would have given it to Zhu Li.

"I see….things here are different than in the Valley of Peace.", Shifu summarizes and finally lets me of the hook. The Empress stops and looks at him.

"Of course they are different than in your Valley. This is the Imperial Palace after all." she continues walking, "Don't bother the Shadow Division. Their goal is to protect the Imperial Family and not to spy on them."

This time not, Empress, this time not…

Grand Master Shifu nods. "I see…."

"So what brings you here, Shifu?" the Empress asks directly.

Shifu hesitates with the answer. "Your husband has died. I've come to…comfort you."

She stops again and looks at him. "Comfort me? Have you decided different now, that my husband is dead?"

Shifu looks pale first, but then regains his composure. Serious he replies: "No. My last decision was final."

The Empress seems to be disappointed, but hides it immediately. I seem to have hit the motherlode.

"I see…" she replies sad.

"Only because of that it doesn't mean we can't be friends. Like earlier as well. I miss the talks we had. We…." Shifu wants to explain, but she interrupts him: "But still your decision is final. When you thought that I could forget this, then you were wrong." she leaves the path and comes closer to the Garden of Heaven. It is snow white out there and it is snowing again. She stops at the border from the Palace to the Garden. I can't see her face anymore.

"But….we were friends. Since childhood even…You were…are the best friend I've ever had. It was never my intention to break these bonds with you." Shifu says also sad.

"But you have." the Empress replies more sad than cold after a while, "When you decided to take the Valley and not me."

Slowly a picture forms in my head.

"Then….please at least let me be your pillar during your period of grief." Shifu offers.

She turns around to him. She seems to have cried a little. Then she smiles and it is very warm. "Very well."

It is the first time I have seen the Empress smile like this. I would have never thought that she and the greatest Kung Fu Master of China were a pair once. They continue their walk.

"How is it looking at the Court now?" Shifu asks.

"Pretty well for what I've expected. The strongest factions still struggle about who could be the next Emperor."

Still….yeah. But I will change this.

"And you? You have everything what you need?"

"Not everything." she replies with the sad voice again, "But it is enough. As long as no new Emperor is chosen, I am still the Empress and need to rule. But what happens afterwards….I don't know. My influence at the court is not so big like I've wished, because I had never a child."

But still it is remarkable. Two of the ministers are on your side and these guys to top it all need to have control over two armies. Whoever you support has much better chances to become Emperor that is for sure.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

She looks at him with almost an arrogant smile. "No, there is nothing a Grand Master of Kung Fu could do for me. This is not your world, the World of Kung Fu and Honor. This is the world of Intrigues and Lies. You would have not withstood even a day here."

Shifu herms. Seems that this comment is not to his liking although it is true. The Court is the wrong place for something like honor, when you want to survive.

"I see….and the heir…are there candidates?"

"Yes. Don Ya the pig, the guy who has probably killed my husband is on the list. Also Yu Thong, the peacock of Gongmen City is a candidate. Also…" she replies listing every of my rivals. I know them all.

She is good informed. I need to look out for her information network.

"And don't forget the Lost Princess as well." she ends her list.

"The Lost Princess?" Shifu asks disbelievingly, "Who is supporting her?"

"Only one person: my dear deceased husband. He has proclaimed her to the heir before he died."

Shifu looks obviously surprised.

"But no one knows, if she is still alive or not. No one knows even how she looks. That is crazy."

"But still it is the wish of my husband." she replies more serious than I have expected, "Mibu is searching for her right now. He and the White Wolves. If there is someone on the world, who could find her, then it is him. And it is not so that we don't know anything about her: She is a tiger like my deceased husband."

"I know…but there are too many tigers in China to find her there."

"Is that so? I've heard that you have raised an orphaned tigress. Maybe it is her."

"She isn't. I checked it…properly."

"I see…then you will be interested in news: There are not so many Tigers in China like you wish."

"What do you mean?"

"For months already tigers all over China seem to vanish. Complete villages seem to be empty over night."

"That is impossible. There needs to be an explanation."

"Hopefully there is one, but till now no one has found it."

Very interesting story here. Odd that the Empress knows about this…..has the Emperor ordered this even before he died? She is too good informed.

"When I will return to the Valley, I will start to investigate in this matter."

She stops again and looks at him. "So you will leave?"

He is surprised, but replies fast enough: "I will stay….I will stay as long as you need me."

She seems to be relieved. We change directions and I can see two further black dressed figures at this way. Seems that my detachment has come and even with a good timing.

I nod and leave them be. I have heard enough for my plans….for now.

I return to the place, where I have dressed and change to my red garment. I slowly leave this place and begin to walk causally to my rooms.

"When this is not Don Ya.", I hear a voice from behind me. A not pleasant one.

I turn around and see the guy I want to see the least: Yu Thong only called the Peacock of Gongmen City here. He was the brother of the rulers of Gongmen City, but has left it already long before they died to serve at the Imperial Court. He is longer here than me and has much more experience. And I should not forget that he was my mentor once. He showed me everything and I've outrun him. Now we are equal.

"I greet you Yu Laoshi.", I reply in a polite manner. Smile when you are angry...

He wears his black garment. Once he wore a white one, but has not done this since his nephew Shen has tried something too cocky for China in Gongmen City. He declared that he is still loyal to the Throne and they believed him. But I dislike the matter that he has investigated in the issue after Shen was beaten. I don't want to imagine what he could have found useful back then.

"I greet you too, Don Ya. Has been a while since we had seen each other."

That was a lie. We had seen us the last time this morning during the Meeting of the Court to discuss who could be the next Emperor. But I have not talked with him in private for a while.

"You are right, Yu Laoshi. I hope you are still healthy."

The opposite would be much better. He is the most dangerous rival for me.

He grins evilly and this doesn't fit to him. "Don Ya, I know I have taught you this, but can we save the formalities for later?"

He wants to talk open. That is bad! He does this only when he has an ace.

"Very well." I reply not showing my fears on my face.

"I have searched for you, because I have a message."

"A message?"

"Yes. The Leader of the Shadow Division has died one hour ago."

What?! I act concerned, although this time it is not a real act.

"How?"

"Seems that he was poisoned. Tse, tse…to use poison at a time like this and then on the most important person to guarantee the safety of us all after Mibu has departed. What a bad Omen."

He knows that I have poisoned the Emperor. Hope that he has no proof.

"Indeed. I hope they catch the murderer fast."

And that is you for sure.

"I hope as well. But till then a new Leader of the Shadow Division is needed and that as fast as possible."

What are you getting at?

"And I have even a very good message for me with this: I was nominated."

I don't know if my face looks happy, but I hope so. Yu would have not said me this, if he would not be sure he gets this position. 100% sure. That is not good.

"I congratulate you to this nomination." I say finally and bow down. He comes a step closer to me and whispers to my ear: "You have no chance against me Don Ya. You have started this game, but I will end it."

He bows down as well and then leaves me there.

The day has become a bit worse now.

I turn around immediately as well and almost storm to my rooms. Hope Zhu Li will be there. I need to create a plan as fast as possible to counter this development or my chances will be not very optimistic.

I reach my rooms, which are found at the Palace Ground. It is an independent building big enough for a whole family, but I am living there alone. Such buildings every member of the Imperial Family has even, when they are in the Palace itself most of the day or the Court.

I reach and enter it without hesitation. I look around. No servants here at this time of the day like I know.

"Zhu Li!" I shout and look around in the building. It doesn't bother me that it looks here like no one would live here. I will live finally, when I can sit down on my throne.

I shout again, while entering the living room. There I see him. He is standing in a dark corner.

"Zhu Li, there you are. I have called for you. Why…?" I begin to talk to him, while he turns around to me.

I stop immediately. On Zhu Li's head is a third eye and all of his eyes are pitch black.

"Finally you have come…." he says with not his voice. It sounds like his voice mixed with another strange voice. I don't think I am standing in front of Zhu Li right now.

"Who are you?"

The voice chuckles. It sounds horrific.

"A clever one what? I am not Zhu Li, when you refer to this, although I am using his body right now."

"His body? About what are you talking?"

"It would take time for me to answer and I don't have some to waste it anymore. Let's say that Zhu Li will remember this conversation as a bad dream."

I calm down slowly. Somehow….I don't feel the fear from before anymore. This guy…he is no harm for me….I don't know from where I know this.

"What do you want?"

"To talk with you of course. I have an offer for you."

"An offer? What offer?"

"An offer, which can be of use for your fight for the throne….Of course I want something for this."

This guy is well informed, but I will not stay in the weaker position.

"So you want to sign a deal with me, is that right?"

He nods. "Correct, Don Ya."

"Then I want to know who you are."

"Why should this matter?"

I have him there where I want to have him. "Because I don't sign deals with strangers."

First he doesn't react – Zhu Li's body looks almost like a puppet, which strings were cut – but then he returns and grins evilly.

"Very well Don Ya. But I need to inform you, that I was given many names and no one is really right."

"Then tell me the right one."

"There lies the problem. I have no right one."

"So you have no name, do you want to tell me this?"

"No, like I said I have many. And actually I prefer the name Player. You can call me this way."

When he said this I felt like the temperature in the room has dropped. I shake my head. It needs to be my imagination.

"So you are a player what? What you play then?"

He chuckles. "Only one Game is worth my skills."

"What game?"

He stares at me. "The Game of Life and Death."

* * *

Again no action, but I am quite surprised that I can publish it already :D Hope you like it and I appreciate it still when you would review this chapter.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	10. Dark Riddles

"People create their own questions because they are afraid to look straight. All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it - walk."

**Ayn Rand**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter IX:** Dark Riddles

She is sleeping.

I needed almost the whole night to warm her up. I heated the fireplace, I rubbed her with a towel, which I have found here and I have even hugged her to get her warm once again. And simultaneously I needed to look out for a wound in her side. Big enough that it had killed her without treatment. Whoever was responsible for this, tried to kill her!

But now she is sleeping. I don't know if she is out of the woods. I hope so, but I am not a doctor. At least she is breathing.

While she is sleeping I am sitting in a meditating position close by. I focus if there will come another attack, but it is not happening. In the meanwhile I think about several things.

Why have they attacked me?

Who are they? Are they citizens of the valley?

And why was she almost dead, when I found her? Was this their doing? Or someone else? And why have I found her so close to the hut?

I look at her like she is sleeping in the warm bed I was sleeping the past days. She looks….innocent. Different from her fighting mien the day before. How could she end up this way?

…I scratch my head fur….Worrying about others doesn't fit me somehow….I look back to her…

Her clothes were more used than I thought the first time. Like she would use them for months already without changing. They smell in this way as well. And her body: It is scrawny. Like she had eaten days ago the last time. If I would have the supplies I would have cooked a soup, but in this way I could only melt more ice. It is a little too hot, but soon I will be able to let her drink from it. Even when this is not enough for her. I hope she is able to eat rice.

Another thing crosses my mind: She has old bruises and scars on her body. Whatever happened with her, it has nothing to do with the winter. I become angry thinking of what this can mean.

"Uhhh…." I hear it as clear as a diamond.

I stand up and rush to her immediately. She is waking up, opening her useless eyes and looking around despite this. Her eyes stay by me after I touched her blanket. She can sense me quite well...Is it to See without Seeing…?

"How are you feeling?" I ask her.

I think she recognizes my voice and tries to flee by moving to the wall. "Don't move…" I want to say still, but it happens already: She winces in pain and grabs to the with the towel bandaged wound. "…you are injured, but I treated the wound. You will survive." I hope so at least while I add this.

She stares at me once again. Her milky eyes look very odd…have I looked the same way?

"I will do you no harm." I add once again, "So how are you feeling?"

She eyes me warily. "Good…" she replies finally.

I realize that it is my fault that she mistrusts me. If I haven't played a trick on them….

"That is good…." I say finally and add a smile to this, before realizing that she can't see it.

I scratch the back of my head. There are things which need to be asked and I can't wait till she feels better…but still…

I stand up and go to the kettle, take a bowl of hot ice water and bring it to her. "It is still a little warm, but I think it will be good." I say while she grabs the bowl still warily. She drinks of it slowly, but accepts that I am not poisoning her. Is this mistrust really a result of my trick or is there more?

"I will need to ask you one or two things. Are you ready for this?" I say finally.

She takes another pull of the bowl and then nods.

"Good…then maybe we introduce each other first. My name is Tai Lung. How is your name?"

She waits with her answer. "Zhusai."

"Zhusai….I see. That's why your friends call you Zhu what?"

"Only my friends are allowed to use it!" she snaps at me relatively strong. She moves while doing it and need to wince shortly after it. I sigh and wait a while till I continue.

"Very well…Zhusai…can I ask where your friends are right now?"

"No you can't!" she snaps at me again, but then lowers her head, "No…you can't."

I hear the pain in the voice very well. Let's put this to later…

"Yesterday night five Yaks attacked the hut. Do you know them?" I ask directly.

She takes another pull, while nodding. "Yan's men."

"And who is this?"

She looks at me with hatred in the eyes. "A Bandit. A murderer. An evil man."

Somehow a picture shapes itself in my head.

"And where I can find him?"

She lowers her head once again with a sad mien. "In my village…", and then if she remembered something, "…in the valley. He and his men are there, although they don't belong there."

"Why not?"

She looks at me again…she behaves like she would not be blind…

"Because….they don't belong there." she replies, before she winces, "They have killed…so many….My parents…" I see that she is close to crying and take her in my arms carefully. "Shh….don't cry little kitten. Here you are safe."

"Don't touch me!" she screams and pushes me away. She winces after it immediately. I scratch the place, where she has pushed me….I don't know why I have said nor done this, but it felt right. Her wary eyes prove that it was not…

"I said I am not your enemy." I explain once again. She pants louder.

"No…you aren't…" she admits, "But nothing else…" she adds. I accept this. This fits me more than a caring guy after all.

Later I give her something to eat of the rice and need to look out that she doesn't eat too fast during her condition. She was really hungry.

She explains me also that Yan is controlling her village now and also all the villagers. He has sent her and the three others to spy on me, because he has one part of each family in his pocket…except her. She went with them, because they were friends. But the others couldn't flee without risking the life of their family.

And when they came back without any proper information…he has punished the others and then sent her to lead the way to me for the five Yaks.

"And your wound? Where did this come from?"

"When we reached the hut….in the middle of the blizzard…they stabbed me….I don't know why…I couldn't prevent it."

I nod. I have a theory, but I will not tell it to her.

"And your eyes…they don't seem to create problems for you…" I mention the other topic, which is part of my interest. She glares at me.

"I am blind." she replies angrily.

"Yeah you are." I admit. Whatever else I could do?

"But…I have no problems with 'seeing'." she explains…it sounds like she is confused as well about it.

"Because you are using 'See without Seeing'." I explain.

She looks at me confused. "What is this?"

I sigh. "A technique…." how much should I tell her? "…I can use it as well."

"You can? …are you blind?"

"Was. But not anymore."

She looks surprised. "How….how have you healed it?"

I shrug. "Don't know…I think it was a temporal thing from the start…" I scratch my ear.

She looks down. "I see…." I realize now, what she was thinking: Could she overcome it as well…

I sigh. It doesn't help create false hope.

"Where have you learned 'See without Seeing'?"

She doesn't lift her head. "Don't know….It was there one day…" she replies a bit blushing.

"I see…that is probably the reason why you still can't sense things through the air properly…"

"Through the air?" she asks surprised.

"Yeah,…this is a degree from this skill. I needed some time to learn it back then."

"Can you teach it to me?" The question came so suddenly that it took me back. Her mistrust seems to be gone like it was never there, while she looks at me with this milky eyes….and they are sparkling… and the fighting mien has returned...Can I teach her?

"It is better to sleep…during sleep your wounds will heal better." I reply to decide it later.

She nods not-willingly and it doesn't last long before she sleeps once again.

For the next two days we have our peace, because the blizzard doesn't want to end. She sleeps most of the time, but gets stronger as well. She is still very hungry and my supplies with food are coming closer to an end. Hope they will be still enough for us both.

At least since I mentioned that I was blind she begins to trust me…although she bugs me about the teaching thing on any occasion…

At the morning of the third day, when the blizzard has ended finally, Zhusai sits up from one moment to another. She looks out from the window, but I still can see the panic in her face. I realize that she seems to have heard something. I focus and learn what it is: A small group has assembled outside. Bigger than last time though. It is only a few steps away from the hut. I look at Zhusai, who still looks panicky...are they responsible for her wounds that she recognizes her voices so fast? I clench my fist.

Slowly I leave the place of my meditating and leave the hut. Outside are some Yaks – one or two even from the other day like I see – and in the middle an Ox. He has expensive looking long horns, expensive, but warm clothes, a trained body, which went on the easy street for a while and two axes in both arms. His look is…arrogantly…I don't know why, but in my eyes he doesn't look strong.

"So it is really you…" the Ox says to me. While I come closer, I see that not far away from him is a female Owl: She has violet eyes and wears a violet garment over her owlish body. Her eyes look….knowing. …She is different than him. She can't be underestimated…She is strong.

"You know me?" I say acting dumbfound.

"You are Tai Lung.", the owl says, before stepping forward.

"Yes he is…no wonder my men couldn't win against you. The most feared Kung Fu Warrior is standing in front of my nose." the Ox says. Obviously Yan.

I grin evilly. "So I am found out what? What will you do now, ox?"

He chuckles. "First I thought to eliminate you…But that you are Tai Lung changes everything. What would you think of working for me? As a bodyguard? The payment is really good and I promise you that you will not get such an offer somewhere else."

I thought the Owl, who seems like his bodyguard, would react on this, but she looks like before. No rival thinking what?

"You are the guy who tyrannizes a complete village is this not a fact?" I counter.

He seems to be surprised.

"You know about this? Where from?"

"That doesn't matter. He will refuse your offer, Yan." the Owl says while stepping closer to me. I get tensed.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Look into his eyes. There you will see everything you need to know. He will not work for a bandit lord like you. He is not interested in money or a lazy life like you. So let me fight him finally. For this you have hired me or not?"

So this is it.

"Yes, you are right Fenghuang. Deal with him."

Fenghuang? I know this name.

"So you are the strongest of the older Furious Five what? One of Shifu's old comrades…"

"It is always nice to be recognized, don't you think?"

"No, not really." I disapprove. She chuckles: "Not proud that you were Shifu's disciple once?"

"Would have never considered that someone like you fights for money." I ignore the obvious verbal attack.

She chuckles again and then turns her head to the ox. "You can go now."

"What? I and my men have come up the whole way to see your fight and you…" Fenghuang glares at him, "Eh….by proper thinking…Men we go back to the village!"

And so they go away and we are left behind.

"You are not interested in money, isn't that so?" I ask after a while realizing it.

"No of course not. I am a Kung Fu Warrior. Our destiny is it to reign over such pitiful insects like him."

"So why are you working for him?"

"Because I wanted to meet you, Tai Lung. I think we have the same enemy."

I realize something: From where has she learnt where to find me?

"Ah is that so? And who may this be?" I reply not showing her my discomfort about this.

"Po, the Dragon Warrior of course. He stands between our both destinies don't you think?"

I consider this. "I don't think so. I've changed."

"Don't make me laugh. You used your whole life to gain power superior of others and you used it against the insects already. You are not much different than Me." she smirks evilly, "And Po is denying this path we chose. We need to stop him. Annihilate him. Prove him that his path is wrong and was the whole time."

I think she has not heard of the thing with Tian Yi…still my reply is clear. "Maybe once I was so, but not anymore. I have found my peace with the world. I am Tai Lung and I have found my destiny already and it is not to take part in your conspiracy."

She keeps silent. Somehow I begin to feel uneasy….like there is something I am missing.

"I see….very well…then you are standing in my way as well, Tai Lung. Prepare to die!" she says and charges me.

I get into a battle posture immediately, but still can dodge her first attack only by a narrow margin…

I dodge to the sides and back. She is faster than me and her wings….they are odd.

I jump back a bigger distance and realize what is odd: I have scratches around my body, where she had hit me almost. The tips of her wings are sharper than knifes….I land on all my fours. I grin…interesting.

She charges me again, but this time uses her flying ability to her advantage. She attacks with her claws, but I am able to dodge them easily, because with them she is not so fast like before. Finally I can grab one of her claws and pull her down with force. Before she can change to a counter attack I jump at her and we fly on her back hard. Before I can attack further, she vaults me over her shoulders with her claws. I land smoothly and go directly to the counter-attack. Now she is in the defense and needs to dodge my punches and kicks. I try to hit her head, her chest, her waist, her wings and everything else, but she is still the faster one,…she even can hit me with counter-attacks!….at least no serious hits, but I dislike it. I get a hit against my cheek….need to take her speed into account…I have an idea.

After another bad aimed punch, she does what I have expected: She attacks my face with one of her wings. But she has not expected my other prepared fist who breaks in one swift swing her wing knifes.

"Ahhh…..!" she reacts to the pain, before I jump at her. Now she can't dodge my attacks anymore and I hit her with one punch and another. Then to end the fight I stretch out my forefingers and try to paralyze her, but when I touch her, she…vanishes.

A Dark shadow emerges from the position she has stood right now, whirls around my stretched out arm and then flies away to the blue sky.

I look up at it without a word. I know these shadows. Tian Yi! This is one of his spirits.

But this is impossible. Tian Yi has lost his spirits during his being in the Abyss. From where did this one have come from? And why has it looked like Fenghuang moments ago? …Has she died?

…I sense her and look to the door of the hut. She stands there in the snow not far away from my position with eyes and mouth open wide. Even when she is blind her gestures are the same like I know. It is obvious that she was not blind her whole life….

"How much have you sensed with your other 'Seeing'?" I ask her.

She gulps. "Much….you are strong." she replies in a broken voice.

"I know….I don't have the reputation of the most feared Kung Fu Warrior for nothing, you know?"

I curse mentally. I didn't need to approve to Yan's words…I look at her, but she comes closer to me without fear in her face. Instead I recognize tears on her cheeks. She rushes to me and I bow down to her…maybe it is the pain in the wound?

"That is not fair…" she mutters.

I don't understand.

"If I would have been so strong….my parents would have….maybe…."

Now I understand. I hug her once again. This time she doesn't push me away. No words are needed and so we stand for a while. Perfect silence.

I look at her….an innocent kitten….completely alone. Have you thought this as well, when you found me, Shifu? I lower my head, before something crosses my mind. "Today your village will be freed." I tell her.

* * *

Tai Lung is back in action :D Hope you like it as well like the Easter Egg for LoA watchers ;) I appreciate it still when you would review this chapter.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	11. Hero

_"Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed."_

**Bob Riley**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter X:** Hero

The village is not big. The frozen lake and rice fields are taking more than half of the space inside the valley, while the village only stretches out around one out of four of the valley. And that only because the houses are standing quite afar from each other. They are built with wood and look different from the hut…more like houses, to which I am accustomed here in China. Most of them are neither expensive nor cheap with the main purpose to live in them. But one pokes out of all them: the main building across from my position looks almost like a palace. Zhusai told me that this is the Hall of the village and big enough that all the villagers would fit in. Since Yan came all females and most of the children are locked up there and need to serve Yan and his men.

I lay down the wounded Zhusai on the ground – I couldn't let her alone up there in the hut.

"Stay by the others." I tell her.

"Free us please…" she says to me and I nod. Was the first time she did this…

Now I am going straightly to my target.

Some villagers appear from their houses. I become angry, when I see, that they look almost as weak as Zhusai, fed very badly. But still no one looks as weak as her. I begin to clench my fists, when I see the first destroyed buildings. Examples for the ones, who want to oppose Yan.

My eyes meet Yak's standing close to the village hall. They are armed and one of them runs inside the building. Warn him only…in this way I don't need to find him.

The first Yaks charge me….they are equipped with spears. I don't move an inch till they are in my range, but then I get down on all fours and jump on the first one. Before he can react I have kicked his face and while I fly backwards with a backflip, he flies against his next partner. I land beside the next Yak who is surprised of my speed, but he doesn't get a chance to react: With my feet I grab the fallen spear of the first one and kick it against his chin. He collapses like hit by a lightning.

I hear a yell and sense the next Yak, this time using an Axe. Wrong choice. Before he can attack me with it from upwards, I uppercut him and while he flies away, I grab his falling axe and throw it against the palace. The Yak, who has warned Yan, needs to stop because it had hit him by narrow margin otherwise. The remaining Yaks outside stare at me shocked. Now it is my time to charge.

The first Yak I encounter, I grab and throw him on the first comrade close by, while dodging the attack of another axe and simultaneously hitting another Yak with my fist. I don't hold back. While the axe haymaker tries to pull his axe out of the ground I kick him so that he knocks out another comrade. Then I jump at the palace door and the three Yaks, who want to leave the palace in this moment. With one smooth kick I catapult all of them back inside, before I can look around.

The interior of the hall is big, because normally a table for meetings would be here. But this time it is away and a horde of Yaks is standing here. All of them armed and ready to strike at me, if not frightened because of what I have done right now.

I breathe in and out loudly and then begin to grin. Like in Chor-Gom Prison….I chuckle.

Before they can attack me I hammer with my foot against the ground and focus on the whirls I created inside the wood in this way. I find all of the villagers, before I grab a Yak by his axe, who wanted to attack me from behind, and throw him at his comrades. Then I attack the next Yak by smashing his mace with my fist and sending him at his comrades as well.

I continue my attack and one Yak after another collapses, while one villager after another gets freed by me. In one room I find 40 wives, aunts, grandmothers and girls. All of them Mountain Cats and afraid to the hell. I don't look on them too long, because of my fighting face. It scares them.

I storm the stairs roaring at the Yaks standing there, but they end like their predecessors. In one of the upper rooms –the hordes of Yaks standing in my way fly over the balustrade back to Ground Floor – I find three children, the friends of Zhusai. They got punished hard and are sleeping now. The others in the room treat them and I get even angrier. "Yan?!" I roar.

I sense his exact location and go to his room fast by throwing more Yaks from the balustrade of the first floor. He is not alone inside: A younger female cat is his hostage and one of his axes is ready to behead her.

"Not a move anymore, Tai Lung! Or her head is cut off!" he yells to me. I sense the fear in his voice.

"You have lost, Yan! Let her go and I am merciful!" I reply with another roar, while stepping closer carefully.

He doesn't look like someone who can think fast and I growl again. Thankfully he is a coward in thinking as well: He lets her go. "Okay, but be merciful!" he says before I catapult him outside of the building with a kick. He smashes the wooden walls in his way. I jump through the hole to follow him.

"Wait! Wait! You said you would be merciful!" he pleads.

"Have you forgotten my reputation, Yan?! I am the most feared Kung Fu Warrior of China!"

I go to him and raise my fist to end it, when…"No!"

I stop and look back to the yeller. It is Zhusai and I see that she is touching the spot of her wound panting. "Go back to the others!" I yell back and focus on Yan once again, who still has not tried to stand up.

"No! Don't do it!" she yells again before moaning in pain.

"Don't yell again! It is bad for your wound." I say to her with a worried, but still angry voice.

"You can't kill him…" she murmurs more than she talks, while Yan crawls backwards away in this time.

I growl at him so he should stop. "Why not?! Have you forgotten what he did? He is a murderer. He killed your parents and almost you as well. He doesn't deserve better."

I see tears on her face. "I know…I know….but will it bring them back, if he is dead or not?"

…Has she really suggested this? Even after all she has lived through? ….DOH!

…I can't look at her anymore and face Yan once again. He is still frightened and doesn't look like someone who gets what is going on right now. I grab his collar while he moans in pain.

"You don't deserve mercy for what you did here. Do you understand this?!", I say to him and I feel a weak nodding, before pointing at Zhusai, "This girl understands already more of life despite being so young than you could ever do. Thank her for your life!" I throw him on the ground. He gets up slowly and looks up to me questioning. I growl loud. He directs his head to her and begins to bow down.

"Thank you for sparing my life!" he says as loud as possible, while I look at the beaten Yaks, who come out of their holes. "You as well!" I yell to them and they follow my order.

"Thank you, Little Kitten!" they yell.

And now I grab Yan at his collar once again and bring his face close to mine. "Listen well, you dirty ox: If you or one of your men will come back here ever, I promise you that I will hunt you down. No matter how long it will take, I will hunt you down. And I swear that this time you will not get mercy. Have you understood me?!"

He nods as fast as it is possible in my grip. I throw him aside and Yan crawls away from me. "Let your weapons here!" I yell, when he comes closer to his axes. He redirects immediately, stands up and begins to run away. I look back at the Yaks. "What are you waiting for?!" I yell to them and slowly they begin to throw their weapons away and leave the village in the same direction their boss did.

When they have left the village, I turn around to Zhusai: She looks like she would faint every minute.

"We are….free…" she murmurs still smiling happily.

I run to her, but can't catch her in time before she falls on the snow.

* * *

Some days have passed. The villagers have celebrated me as a hero….Odd that I don't feel like one. I would have become a murderer and monster like once almost, if Zhusai wouldn't have stopped me….Zhusai….she had fever the first days, but it wears off already, after the healer of the village has treated her. He had even praised me for my first aid treatment; even when I have no experience in this point….I don't feel like I have earned this praise….

It is night and the villagers were still celebrating like they did the last days: It seems that the Yaks have drunken more than eaten and so the supplies were still intact. But still despite the party the villagers looked out for their supplies because of the winter. The healer comes to me, while I look outside at them.

"She is awake again." the healer, a goat, says to me and I nod. I decided something. "Let her friends to her first." I say, but the Healer shakes his head. Then he tells it to me. And he says that she knows. I growl mentally, before nodding.

I go to her room – one of the rooms of the village hall, which is quite empty now – and see her looking out of the window down to the villagers. She doesn't see them like I do, but she feels and hears it still. They are happy to be free, but she has still lost everything she has loved.

"How are you, kitten?" I ask her in a tried carefree voice. I see her sad face after she has turned around, but I don't think I am born to be an actor. She sighs.

"They are free….we are free….I am free…and happy cause of this…but….I thought it would feel better…" she says and seems to be again close to crying. I heard from the other villagers, that she has not cried since the death of her parents during the initial attack. They have tried to protect her and the village and the bandits killed them as an example. When I said to the others, how emotional she got at the hut, they were confused. She never showed such emotions for months. But now she can cry like in the hut….I come closer to her and hug her again.

Still a thing I am not accustomed to, but nothing I am ashamed off anymore….

"Are you regretting it?" I ask her after her decision. We had no time to speak about it till now.

She keeps silent, thinking over it. "….No….I don't think so…we are free, if they live or not….and my parents…would have…probably…decided in this way as well…" she tries to look confidently like at the day we met, "I don't regret it…but…" I understand. She has nothing here anymore. Her friends…the ones she has cared for and who got punished…they have not come even to visit her, although their wounds were healing better than hers…and their room is two doors away….their parents even forbid the visiting. Many adults dislike her decision, because the risk that the bandits will come back is high…She is a complete outsider now. She will never be able to celebrate like them….with them. I lower my head.

"I will leave the village…" I admit sadly. She turns around to me surprised. "Why?"

"Because there is a thing I need to investigate…something….something important…" I say. This shadow….I need to find out, if Tian Yi is doing something again in this matter….it would be not good if yes. She lowers her head and keeps silent for a while.

I listen to the people outside….the warrior who has become a monster once again almost is celebrated, while a little kitten, who was the one to convince the warrior to free them, is excluded…What a shame! They even sing songs about me being a hero…

"I want to come with you…" I hear her suddenly. She has spoken these words so weakly that I have not understood them by the first time. When I realize what she has said I look at her.

"Are you sure?" I say and am quite surprised as well that this idea doesn't sound bad for me.

She nods. "Yes, I want to….become strong. You are strong, so you could teach me…"

A disciple. I chuckle about this irony mentally. "It is not always good to be strong….you don't get what you want with strength alone and like you have seen it is a thing which can lead to the wrong direction…."

I remember my last years. The prison, the Fight against Po and Tian Yi…..was there a time, where strength helped me to get what I want? I lower my head once again.

"As long as you use your strength for the right thing…you get what you want." she replies weakly and I look at her surprised. She smiles warmly, but still sadly. "My dad said this always…" she adds after a while shyly.

…I chuckle. "Yeah.", I nod.

* * *

I look down from the hill at the valley. It gets better for the people down there. They will come through this winter, I bet it.

"You can say Goodbye now." I tell to Zhusai, who is standing close by me, while I turn around.

She says goodbye silently and follows me. "Where have you learned to see…without Seeing?" Zhusai asks me. I have waited till she has recovered enough for this journey.

"An old crazy turtle taught it to me." I explain.

"I would have never expected that there are others who could use this…I always thought I would be something special cause of this." she admits, while we pass the hut. The villagers have told me, that the builder of the hut was someone from the west. He had left long ago back to where he has come….they said he was a turtle….

"But there are others. And I will teach you how you will use this technique properly….also with a bigger range…and without snow." I inform her.

"And the other training?" she asks confused.

"This will come as well…after all you are the disciple of Tai Lung, the most feared Kung Fu Warrior of all China…you should be proud of it."

"I don't think it is good to be feared…" she admits awkwardly.

I chuckle. "Yeah…but it was once at least. But more I don't have despite this bad reputation so it needs to be enough."

"You have me now, do you?" she asks innocently and I chuckle once again before nodding.

Something crosses my mind. "I'll tell you from the start: the training will not be easy."

She gulps. "I am ready to everything."

I hoped for these words. "So be it."

* * *

Tai Lung earned a second chapter in a row :) Hope you like it as well like I appreciate it still when you would review this chapter.  
Need to inform you sadly, that there will be no KFP: The Long Night next week :( But I need some time for some things. So I hope you forgive me for this.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	12. A Quarter of a second

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone."

**Orson Welles**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XI:** A Quarter of a second

The men hammered the battering ram against the gate.

It is really annoying here. Not only is the noise of the ram annoying but also its echoes. Here in this place there are everywhere echoes of it. Simply hold your ears shut and it will not annoy you….

We are in an odd valley. It is in the middle of a plateau. The stone and now snowy ground of the plateau is projecting inside the valley as well – but only high above the ground. From above it looks like a normal ground, from below here it looks like a stone flat roof. A roof which looks like it would fall down every second and I bet it had done it already. At least the rocks on the snowy ground of the valley tell about it. Probably that's why this monastery was built inside the rocks itself and so far away from the open sky where the rocks can fall down….Stone rain…he he…funny picture.

The Monastery was built like a fortress. It was built right into the edge of the rocky mountain wall. Because of the small area it was built longish along the mountain wall. And around it, is a wall built with black stone and this damn gate, which the battering ram should break.

"It seems that it doesn't work so efficiently." I say with a cold undertone. I look to my side – I and the others are standing on a higher position of the road which leads to the monastery to see the attack better – and look at the lion with his golden mane in this way. He wears a black armor now, like his soldiers who are attacking the monastery. Adum became quite useful in the last months.

"Yeah,…these damn monks are trying to stop the ram with their bodies. It will be futile." he replies in his voice, which resembles a Lord. Not that it would intimate me.

"Their goal is not to stop us, but to buy some time." I look back to Kar, who is always not far away from me, "Kar, fly there and care there for, that they don't escape."

"I can do this as well." the girly voice of Shari tells me in her impatient manner. "Not yet." I disagree and see her sad gestures. Kar nods only and flies away. I relax.

"See I told you. It would be not certain that he will send us so fast." Yin Siqu says to Shari.

"You are not certain of everything." Shari replies a little annoyed. She flies from one point to another glaring at me. I don't care.

"You seem relaxed now, Bai Fen.", Adum notices. I shrug.

"Kar is away that's why." I reply simply.

"Are you frightened of him?" he says in a cocky voice. I glare at him and he shuts his mouth immediately. "No and that's the point." I reply.

He looks confused. "What?"

"Kar wants to frighten White always." Shari says impatient.

"That is not certain." Yin Siqu says and annoys me with this as well. Adum looks even more confused than before. I sigh. As long as the ram is hammering I could tell him.

"Kar was once trained by the best hunter of the world: His own father. He and his brother. His father taught them, that courage is everything. Courage to overcome even the greatest obstacle, no matter what it is."

"Okay…" Adum murmurs.

"Be patient. I don't need a second impatient one." I say while looking at Shari, "The last test of Kar – to prove that he is ready to be the greatest hunter – was simple: Kill his own brother."

"What?!" Adum yells almost.

"Quiet.", I remind him, "I don't understand it either, why the father thought that this would be the proof of the greatest courage. But it happened. Kar refused to do it. Unfortunately his own brother was not so merciful. He killed Kar almost and showed him something really important: Fear to die. Kar realized that this fear is far more powerful than every courage can ever be, as long as you plant it deep into the hearts of your prey." I make a break, "He killed his father, but not before planting the fear deep into him. What happened with his brother, I don't know. At any rate since then Kar hunts for prey whom he plants his fear into the heart. In my case it didn't work. Since then he looks for every weakness in me to plant the fear inside me. Till now he was unsuccessful."

Adum strokes his mane. "I see….and why is he working for you?"

"In this way I am always close to him. And I have a reason not to kill him."

He chuckles. "Aha….and he has told you this?"

I give him the evil eyes….ha! Now it works. "He is not talkative, but he also doesn't hide his motives." I explain, "As a General you need to know such things."

"I get it….so maybe you could explain now, what the reason for us is to be here?"

With this question he annoys me for days already. Since I have joined them and ordered them their mission.

"The Player says you don't need to know…and I agree. It would be useless to tell you."

"You could try." I hear the anger in his voice. He knows I am not Tian Yi…will need to show him that there is no difference. I grab my Twins, when I hear something. I turn my head to the direction of the noise and see that the gate is broken. The first soldiers try to enter the monastery and are attacked by the monks of it.

"Shari, Yin Siqu now you can go." I order and see only like a pink flash flies past me to the gate.

"Really?" Yin Siqu asks me still and I glare at him. He wriggles away without another word.

"I bet these two guys have also quite interesting stories." Adum guesses and it seems like he has forgotten the almost fight.

"Yeah.", I reply while stepping closer to the monastery.

"I bet you have also one White Rider.", Adum says in a dangerous undertone. I look back at him and show again my evil eyes. I have not let go of the hilt of my Twins. "When the Black, Red and Green Rider have a story, then the White Rider needs to have one as well." I agree with my dangerous undertone, "But you will not need to know it. And now go down and command your men to fight. We need to take this monastery fast."

He grins evilly and goes down shouting orders.

I wait in my position still for a while, before I let the hilt go. This guy is not only a tool. I need to look out for this.

He was right. Every one of us has a story. Shari was once an ugly crawler. All of their family had told her that she only needs to be patient, and then she would flourish as a gorgeous Butterfly. And so she waited and bore even the teasing of the non-insect children of her village. And when the day finally came the first reaction of these same children was to laugh and say: "She is even uglier than before." Somehow this laughter caught also the other villagers except her family. But she didn't notice this already. She thinks even now that she is ugly although I would not think this…not that it matters. She is the annoying impatient Butterfly I know now. And she is useful.

Yin Siqu means Hidden Death. And once he was such a guy. The best assassin that ever lived. No one could escape his fangs, although most didn't realize their death before it happened already. But one day Siqu met his master. He destroyed him without killing. His confidence from once is shattered to never heal once again. Everything he needs to check twice or thrice when not even more…at least I taught him that he should not do this with me…

The ground between the walls and the outer part of the monastery is taken and the monks are falling back. Time to come closer. I go down.

I have also a story. Different from the others….my "parents" were travelers. Merchants. Who lived from that what they bought and sold. It was not much, but enough for them…and their only child, me.

While coming closer to the ram, I look down at my paw. The scar of the whiplash is still visible there…even after so many years. When I became older and stronger, I couldn't control my strength anymore….I hurt mum with it….My parents decided that I needed discipline to control this strength and so they hired a Kung Fu Master. A stinking Rhino….if I had known what they had to pay for this training I had killed him. He trained me in discipline…with force. He needed to beat it in me…with punches, whips and kicks…and much more….My whole body is one single prove of it!

I look around. The ram has destroyed the gate pretty good…the gate was fortified thrice. Thick and solid wood. The monks who have protected the monastery are lying around here. They look like trained soldiers without armor….and these are monks?! Don't make me laugh. I go further.

The only good thing of the training was that it worked. More than good…too good. So good that I feared to use my strength. Even when bandits attacked us and began to kill my parents. I feared to use my strength with which I could have protected them….

I come closer to Adum. Beside him are the others as well like a bunny monk. Splendid.

"Kar, have someone gotten away?" I ask for control…not that I would really believe, that someone escaped him. He shakes his head obviously.

I come closer to the bunny who seems frightened; although he still tries to be determined…not that I care.

"You have lost." I say, "You and your brothers."

"You think?" he says trying to confuse me, but it doesn't work. "I know." I reply, "And you know it too now. And you will care there for, that everyone knows it. Especially the Masters of Kung Fu…That Adum and his army of Black Soldiers terrorize the South…"

"Why…Why are you doing this?" he stammers.

"Why shouldn't we do it? This is the army of Adum, once of Tian Yi. Revenge is the reason why we do this of course. We want to have justice against all Masters of Kung Fu…especially the ones from the Jade Palace. We will burn down every village and every monastery and kill every Kung Fu Master we encounter." I begin to pet him, "And you will tell all of them of this, bunny."

"Why…why should I?" he asks weakly.

I come much closer to his face….our noses touch each other and I glare at his eyes. "Because I'll kill you, when not." I say very calm and cold. He gulps. "And you will not like the speed of It.", I add.

I look up to Adum to give him the gestureless signal. He does it: He roars loud and clear and as frightening as possible right behind the bunny. Without proper thinking this one runs away as fast as possible. I laugh loud and clear.

"Splendid fear planting." I hear a cold voice from behind and look at Kar, "He will tell even when he knows that he shouldn't."

"I know." I agree, "Then let us go to our target."

All of us turn around and go the stairs upwards to floor two of this monastery. Everywhere are laying defeated Monks and the soldiers began to plunder. We go up to the third floor and see the original target of this: A circular stone pavilion. The Soldiers have surrounded it like ordered.

"So will you tell me, what is inside there now?" Adum brings up the matter again. I sigh.

"An urn." I reply finally telling the truth.

"An urn? Is this everything?" Adum asks disbelievingly. I look back to him. "Nothing else is needed. But you and your men can plunder the whole monastery. After all it should look horrible, shouldn't it?"

He pets his mane once again. "Okay…but you will need to do some explanations after this."

"I will not!" I say and grab my hilt once again. The other three glare at him as well and the mighty lion shrinks down to a gnashing teeth imp. "Understood.", he growls and turns away.

I snort and go to the only door of the pavilion. One step away from it, I stop and the others as well.

"You stay here. I will handle this myself." I say to them.

"But White, this guy there…" Shari wants to warn me, but Kar stops her. He nods only and Yin Siqu looks as uncertain like always. I nod and enter the pavilion closing the door behind me.

The pavilion is lightened only rarely. The few windows are small – even Shari would have problems to squeeze through them – but there for several torches are ignited. The pavilion is built like stairs which lead to the centre. Every step of the stair is built like a ring, whereupon the utmost is the biggest and highest. The centre of the pavilion is a circle and the lowest point of this building. And there is the Urn. As well like a bigger monk, who is kneeing in front of it.

I look down and see also lines drawn into the steps – these are not only stairs. These are rings of influence. When I step only one step closer to him, I will be in his range. I smirk.

I begin to go along the utmost ring. I can't deny that I have waited for this meeting. "Finally we meet….dad." I say and look precisely how he reacts on this piece of information. First only his orange-black striped ears react. "Dad?" he asks in a confused tone and stands up. He is a strong, but not young tiger. In his fur is already seen many grey beside the orange and black. He is probably bigger than me, probably as big as Adum. His eyes are icy cold despite the confused face he has. He wears like every monk here a monk dress out of yellow and black.

He observes me precisely for a while. "Okai?" he asks finally. My birth name.

"Not anymore. I am Bai Fen now." I reply.

His face shows acceptance. "I see…you got big…since the last time I saw you."

I stop and glare at him. "Probably because you left me as a cub by strangers?!" I say with a dangerous undertone. He doesn't look intimidated. "I couldn't know if they would be good parents….Sorry that they weren't."

"They were the best, one young cub could wish for.", I object, "Better than you could ever be. After all you…have abandoned me." He doesn't look comfortable hearing this.

"I had my reasons."

"I don't care for your reasons!" I reply angrier than I wanted to.

He smirks and lowers his head. "I see…that's why you are here…"

I shake my head. "No…I am here because of this." I say and point out at the Urn. He looks at it and then at me. He is confused that is for sure, but still I don't see the slightest weakness in his defense. I walk further along the ring.

"You are…here…that's why?" he murmurs, "…Why? What do you want with this Urn?"

"I…nothing….but the Player wants to have it. And as long as the Player gives me what I want I want to have it as well."

He looks like someone who has realized something. "Oh God….Thank you…" he says shaking his head, "You are not the one."

"Who?" I ask confused now.

"Doesn't matter…" he replies, "…Oka….Bai Fen you can't believe what the 'Player' says to you. He lies. He has always lied. During his whole existence."

"Don't care…I am not his underling, when you think that. I am his partner."

"His partner? For what purpose?"

"You don't need to know…." I can't find a weakness…seems that I need to take him from the front….wait, maybe…."you know they died?"

"Who?"

"The ones who were more parents for me than you could ever be. Died of a bandit attack….and I couldn't prevent it. My Kung Fu Master forced a harsh discipline on me and I couldn't overcome it….at least not fast enough."

"About what are you talking?", he asked confused.

I grab the hilt and draw my Twins. One to one of the hands.

I close my eyes…collect it. Now is the time….I open my eyes glaring.

"Wrath is the key." I say preparing to attack, "Only my wrath can release my true strength. And my wrath is directed at you right now!"

I charge him….a quarter of a second….more I don't need…only a quarter of a second of missing defense. He gets into a battle position, while I attack. One from the left and without an additional movement one to the right. He blocks it by reflecting them at the blunt edges of my twins. I become angrier. Another attack – a sudden thrust from the stand – but he dodges it. From above, from the sides, from below, from the edges and even further thrust of both blades….he blocks them by simply reflecting or redirecting their attacks….but I notice something: He doesn't attack.

"Too afraid of me to attack?" I ask in a mocking tone, after we got separated a bit. Both of us pant.

"I will not harm you son. You are misled only." he replies. I shake my head. "You still don't get it,….but fine…" I look at him. My movements are faster than his, but he is still able to block my attacks….in the last possible moment. In this way we are equally strong….and the one with the longer breathe will win….will need to go for this then.

I attack him with both swords from the side and he is ready to redirect them again….unfortunately this time their attack is a bait. I rush forward with my head before he realizes this.

CRASH!

He trips. He has not expected this…my quarter of the second. Before he regains his balance I charge and use my Twins in a flapping manner: The Butterfly Wings.

…SLIT! …SLIT!

….

He is on his knees when I get into normal speed once again.

"Argh…!" he moans and I hear the spitting of blood.

"You lost." I say to him, while going to the Urn. He glares at me…but then begins to grin.

"Oogway…this damn bastard knew it…He said that by fleeing from my responsibilities, I will not flee from my destiny…"

I shake my head. Don't know about what he is talking about. "Doesn't matter now. You will die here."

"Don't think so…" he murmurs, before I hear a loud cracking noise from the side. I look there and see that Shari has destroyed the door….her eyes show her impatience. The other guys follow her. I look back to the Tiger, while he passes me running. Before I can react he vanishes behind a fake wall.

"Crap! Catch him!" I yell. They pursue him and I am alone once again. I look back to the destroyed door…no one there…I relax and almost fall on my ass. This old geezer was more of a challenge I've expected…or my wrath was simply not complete still…I look up to the urn behind me. Even when he escapes: I have the Urn.

One step closer to my goal. I grin.

* * *

Like promised the next chapter before the year ends :) Hope you have nothing against this change of perspective to Bai Fen ;)  
When you like this story, I would be happy, if you would review it.

I want also to point out, that there is also a News Section on my profile now :)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	13. The Order's HQ

"The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking."

**Christopher Morley**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XII:** The Order's HQ

We are finally at our goal. The HQ of the Order of the Black Claw is in front of us.

It looks like a mix of a castle and a monastery. Built on a peak, more directed to the sky than to the sides with a shaky wooden bridge between us and it. The only entrance by the way.

The peak is at least several hundred meters high as well like the mountains on which we are standing. Below us is the valley with the tavern I have visited once….how much time passed since then? I put on my shaded glasses, because the strong wind here forces me to cry.

I look back at the HQ: Long towers, thick walls, high-quality stones even with religious markings like the others say and an unbelievable mystery how this thing could be built in such a height….so typical Chinese…More mysteries than answers…

I look back and see the others follow me. We are only four: Aijna, Pantu, Benkei and me. Sijna stayed at the closest harbor, few hours from here not counting the climbing up. She is a Sea dog and not a landlubber like us, she said.

"Come on! We are finally there!" I yell back to them and turn around to the shaky bridge. The second time I need to cross it and I still feel uneasy….probably has something to do with the matter, that this bridge doesn't look new. Like the whole castle by the way: It looks like a ruin almost….considering that I know like ruins look like at my home, the ruins of the Chinese people still look useful….need to find out their secret in this matter as well. I use Sun Wukong's staff to balance better…

I reach the castle gate: destroyed. Don't know what the reason for this was, but the Chinese sign for Claw, which is written on the gate looks also quite destroyed. Despite the tightness of the peak on which the castle is built, there is still place for a castle ground…here and there are seen marble stones, which were used probably as a road, but the grass has outgrown it already long time ago…Most of the towers of the castle are in front of me. They are connected by a smaller building in the ground floor level. Only one entrance there. This whole complex of towers and building looks quite small cause of its architecture, but I know that it stretches over the most part of this peak….more a small plateau I need to admit.

"Cien!" I hear Aijna's voice and turn around. Aijna and Pantu are already on the bridge and are trying to cross it, but Benkei is trembling at the starting point…I sigh.

I go back to the bridge. "Benkei! Come over here!" I yell.

"But…but…" he stammers.

"No buts!" I yell back, "Come over here right now or we will let you behind."

This bear was more a burden than a help thanks to his cowardice. My patience is at its limit….maybe it was my worst choice to let him follow us. If I could correct it….but I can't. Why am I more curious than it is good for me so often?!

He takes the first step, when Pantu reaches the other side. He is still trembling and it seems that thanks to his mass the bridge is doing this also.

"Stop trembling!" I yell to him. The ropes and boards don't look like they would withstand such trembling for long time.

I hear him gulping. He takes another step trying not to tremble.

CRACK!

Crap! "Wahhhh!" he yells and begins to run at us. He has broken one broad and breaks another one…and another before he reaches the other…Crap!

CRASH!

….

Ow! "Oi, sorry, sorry…" he stammers apologizing again. I grab my head….it is shaking in there?...he has carried me once again from my feet and crashed with me against the edge of the gate….I regret my choice even more. I look down on my nose and see that at least my glasses are not broken. Better I hide them again, before something like this or maybe even much worse happens again…

"It's good." I reply so he stops finally to apologize and turn around to Pantu, "Hey, Mister Expert. Do you know what happened with this gate?"

"I am not here that's why, or am I?" he asks in an arrogant manner. I show my teeth.

"No…" I extend it, "…but I don't want to be surprised by something while being here. So what was responsible for this?"

He sighs. "We."

"You?" I ask in a questioning manner.

"I and the other traitors. We destroyed it while fleeing…seems that the Order was not able to repair it…"

"Doesn't sound like the Order, from which you are frightened so much." Aijna says her opinion and hits the bulls-eye of what I wanted to say next.

"The Order never looked dangerous….and that is the reason why it is. My and the other's treason has hit the Order hard…never before so much betrayed them…we needed to fight our way through them, before we could escape….but the Order recovers…like always."

I remember that Moc's dad betrayed the Order as well…it sounds more like a sinking ship when you ask me.

We enter the building with the towers. It is dark here, but thanks to the light from the windows as well like my Night vision I don't think we will have prob….Ow!...damn stone…have not seen him.

Last time we were here we have inspected the HQ for days….also because we searched only for few hours a day, because of the mystery of the broken gate. Still I know most of the corners of it and know where to go. Instead going the steps up to the towers we go down. It gets darker and darker and my eyes get better and better.

"Stay close to me…" I say to Aijna and Benkei – Pantu has his own Night vision. At least he has not tried to flee even for one moment…hmmm…ah no…I am getting paranoid. We are his guarantee for being safe.

I grab one of the old torches still hanging at the walls here and give it to Aijna, before we finally see light at the end of the stairs. I know what we will see: The grey cloaked horizon in front of us….have never expected to enjoy the winter in China. But it feels more like my home in this way…we had cold winters like here.

We are standing on a platform or a balcony…without a railing. One wrong step and we would fall the whole way down of the peak. I look down….even in snow this landing would hurt not only a bit…

"What a beautiful sight…." Benkei explains while gawking…even when I have problems with him, he is right. The snowy peaks in the distance, the snowy valleys, the frozen rivers, the white forests and the peaceful villages….all of it looks wonderful…or like Po would say 'Awesome'. I would like to visit this place in the spring once again….hope that I will be able to do it.

I turn away and go the stairs downwards, which begin on the other side of the round platform. Aijna gives me the in the meantime ignited torch, because my night vision will be useless down there…inside the mountain itself. This time there are more steps down than earlier, although this platform was already so low built that there was no sign of the castle anymore except far above us. The platform was built right onto the wall of the mountain.

Finally we reach the pre-chamber of this lowest floor. With the light I show the surroundings: Broken ground plates, old walls and furniture wherever I look and even some things out of metal…this place doesn't look like it was left few months ago, but much earlier.

"What was the purpose of this chamber?" Aijna asks Pantu. I look at him. He seems tensed now…odd he was quite calm till now.

"It was…the Master's room." he replies finally. The Master's room? "He doesn't seem place value on his things, what?" I ask sarcastically. He doesn't react on it.

"It looked like this also then." he replies.

"When?" Aijna asks.

"When he came." he says and steps forward. We look at him quizzically and he turns to us. He looks right into my eyes….with an odd look….I realize it.

"Moc.", I say loud.

"Correctly. The only time I met him." Pantu replies.

"What happened then?" I ask although I realize Aijna wanted to say it as well. He has stirred up my curiosity again…

Pantu turns around to the door on the other side of the chamber and takes the first steps to it. "All the leaders of the Order gathered in this place…not only the Master. Moc had to say something to them and they listened. I had guard duty here….your friend looked impressive you know."

"I know how he looks. Don't change the topic! What was the purpose of this speech?" I reply not caring much for the reason of our arrival here anymore. He goes the next steps.

"I was at the closed door…I heard only shreds of the speech. It sounded like he wanted to leave the Order."

"What?!" I say not believing it. Why has he betrayed us, when he wanted to leave finally? I get angry and clench my fist around the staff. "That is impossible!" I say finally.

"Why do you think so?" Pantu asks me with an odd voice….I realize that he is confused. I scratch my ear. "I…" I start to say.

"He knows it simply." Aijna replies in my place. I nod to her with a thanking mien. She nods as well.

"I see…" Pantu says, "…still can't deny what I heard. Maybe I misunderstood it."

I get a tensed feeling somehow. "Hey, Pantu wait there. We will enter the main chamber first." I say to him while realizing how close he is to the door…something is obviously not right. He stops in front of the door. We hear him sighing a bit later.

"The Order of the Black Claw has a long tradition." he begins to speak, "Even to the beginnings of Kung Fu…even of China it can be retraced. Once they were heroes….although not to my time already. They have fallen."

"Fallen?" Benkei asks after no one of us does it. We know what he means. Moc has explained it to me and me to Aijna once. I take a step closer to Pantu.

"They are nothing more than a group of assassins now used by a someone superior of us." he continues. I dislike like he said 'superior of us'. Who is this? "Moc knew it. He tried to oppose them, but failed. I don't know if he survived, because I was hit unconscious during the fight back then. No one wanted to tell me how it ended, but all the leaders except the Master died this day.", he explains and then adds in a quieter voice, "This was the day I began to plan to quit the Order."

He turns around to us. "If your friend is still alive or not, I don't know. But he is not a part of the Order since then."

I growl. "So you lied to me back then in Gongmen City…"

"Not even a moment. You have only asked, if he has joined Tian Yi's army. That he didn't do."

I remember my words and began to curse myself for this. "So why have you led us here?!" Aijna yells at him, "You knew who our target is and still you have not said a word till now!"

A thought crosses my mind...a dangerous one…I look into his face. It looks like he would stay with one step in his own grave…

"This is…because you were not the first guys who have found me."

BUMMMM!

….

….

Ow! That hurt….

…Almost too late to dodge this attack….what the hell was this?

It is dusty here…really dusty….I hear an odd howling noise….it subsides at least…something is on my back….These are boards…I throw them aside. I look around and see not far away from me Aijna, who I have pushed with my staff to the side…like it seems in time. Not far between us I find my staff and use it to stand up.

I hear a noise behind me and realize that it is Benkei freeing himself from his boards…doesn't look injured. All of us are there for draped in much dust…I spit something of it of my mouth.

Another board falls down not far away from me – they are falling down the whole time…I decide to look, where the door to the main chamber once was. It is completely shredded in the middle and broken open. Beside it Pantu is lying…he has a wound at his head. Crap!

My mind begins to work. "Benkei…" I whisper back while the dust is slowly disappearing. I get a moan back and a "Yes?"

"Begin reciting." I reply.

"What? But…"

"Do it now." I say still whispering but more serious. He listens to me. The dust in the air has vanished almost and I take the first steps forward. The main chamber is one or two steps lower than the pre-chamber and much bigger. It is lightened by several torches and there are alcoves around the round built chamber….9 in total. On the ground is a destroyed map of China carved into the stone of the mountain. And in the middle of it is standing a dragon out of metal and wood. And it fires again!

BUMMMM!

….

I could dodge it to the side and have fallen into the chamber now. Some splinters have scratched my skin. A small straight wound is at my cheek.

"Damn! This Canon of Shen is too slow for this guy!" I hear an ugly boar say. He wears a black Chinese garment on which the sign of the Black Claw is written. Beside him is a deer in the same clothes. I prepare my staff for an attack, when another one appears from the shadows: A female Owl with violet eyes. Her garment is a mix of black and violet….she means trouble.

I gulp and attack them.

* * *

Next chapter done finally :) I bet everyone of you has a wtf - face now. ;) What is doing our friendly owl here? Find out in the future chapters :)  
When you like this story, I would be happy, if you would review it.

I want also to point out, that there is also a News Section on my profile for a while already :)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	14. Fall of the Dragon

"_Into each life some rain must fall.__"_

**Henry Wadsworth Longfellow**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XIII:** Fall of the Dragon

"Po…Po?...Po where are you?" dad moans.

"I am here dad. Like always." I say. I am still worried.

"Po, can you cook me my soup…with the special ingredient…" he says before chuckling about the joke only he and I know, before coughing right after it. For days his health had not got better.

"I can't. You know what the doctors said…"

"Rubbish! A good noodle soup have never harmed me….cook me one." he coughs again.

I sigh. "I still can't. We have no ingredients left here in the palace."

"Then go buy them."

"I can't." Third time. "Have you forgotten, that I need to protect the Palace….I will send Zeng or one of them…"

"NO!" he yells and coughs after it, "You are the cook. Only you can judge the quality of the ingredients and not a footboy." He became quite direct since this disease started.

"Dad, here in the palace are also cooks, so…"

"No, I said!"

He coughs again and I sigh. Further discussion will worsen his health even more…better I go.

"Okay, I go, but don't you dare leave this bed. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah…" he mutters.

I leave my room in the Hall of Students and go around in the building. I can see the still snow white outside via an opened window, which I close right away. My Snow Panda has gotten quite hard thanks to the cold and looks like a Statue. I dress in my scarf and leave the building ultimately. Outside I encounter Zeng.

"Master Po, where are you going?"

"To the village. Need to buy ingredients for a soup." I say more cheerful than I am.

"But…that one of the cooks could do…and you need to protect the Palace…"

"I know, I know….will not last long, I promise. Till then you and the others can protect the Palace or not?"

"Eh….maybe…" he stammers.

"Fine! Then see you later." I say and let him behind gawking….I don't feel good to do this, but I have no choice. Since Tigress and the others left I….Darn! I am still not able to forget this. Especially after she began to wear the necklace it became impossible….Darn again!

I reach the stairs down and see the snowy valley in front of me. It would be better when I think about the fact that I need to protect them…all alone now….feel not better….but it is still better than to think about my confession! Darn! I am doing it again.

I don't know how much time passed already, but I feel like quite a while passed since the Furious Five left this place…they heard that Adum and his army – formerly Tian Yi's army – are marauding deep in the south, attack villages, monasteries and local Kung Fu Masters…everywhere they yell that the Warriors of Jade Palace should come….till then they will not stop. Tigress and the others left then, but I needed to stay behind for protection of the Jade Palace…when will Shifu come back, I ask…

….And the Five...especially Tigress…argh! I am doing it again…after my confession she behaved like nothing had happened…but I can't do the same. The hole in my heart is too big…I can't forget it…

I reach one of the shops and begin to buy the needed ingredients.

"I am happy to see you, Po. It has been a while." the garlic merchant Mr. Sado, a sheep, says.

"Yeah…you have travelled to the south isn't that the case?" I respond, while he shows me his garlic – good ones like always. Maybe Mr. Sado has some news from the South.

"Yeah, and there I have heard several bad things: Bandits attacking villages and cities, Imperial Soldiers deserting and going on a rampage, Missing Tigers, Great Hunger and Fear….", what has he said there? "…and I heard you dad is ill. How is he?"

"He is healthier than weeks ago." I reply confidently…although I don't feel like this. The doctors don't know what caused this disease. He collapsed right on the day of my confession after drinking a bit of his soup….another reason why I can't forget this day. The doctors couldn't inspect the bowl itself anymore, because dad had crushed it while collapsing. Only very few drops of the soup remained and they try to check them: they have found nothing odd…a riddle they can't solve…they don't know how to help him, but at least he seems to get really better. When all this started he couldn't even speak.

"I see…I wish that he gets healthy once again." Mr. Sado says smiling. I nod smiling back and remember what he said. Most of it I have heard already, but the one in the middle not.

"You said something about 'missing tigers'?", I remind him sounding more curious than I've expected.

"Yeah, that is a riddle down in the south, where it is happening more often than everywhere else. Tigers, even whole villages of them, get missing."

"Does someone know what is going on?"

"No, there lies the problem. No one has a clue."

When it is happening in the South so Tigress and the others could meet this problem as well. Hope she will be fine. I nod to this before I turn my back to him….and stop in the track.

A black smoke pillar is rising from the palace buildings…I drop the ingredients and begin running upwards.

….

Damn stairs….

….

Hapu, hapu….

….

Finally! ….the gate is destroyed…and I see bodies! I run to them.

"Hey, hey! Wake up!" I yell to a pig with closed eyes, which he opens fortunately.

"Dragon Warrior?" he murmurs weakly.

"Yeah in flesh and blood. What happened here?"

"Attackers…came from nothing…" he mutters and then faints again. Darn!

I look up and see that the gate to the Sacred Hall of Warriors is opened. I run upwards till I reach the entrance: Inside the hall are bears. Many of them….and white ones additionally to this. They are throwing grapples with attached ropes upwards right at the Moon Pool….the golden Dragon?

"And don't forget the Urn of Whispering Warriors.", I hear a voice. I look to its direction and see a black wolf dressed in similar clothes like Tigress, but the shirt is grey instead of red.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" I yell to him and he hears me. He turns around to me slowly…Iiikks!

First of all this is a dog similar to a wolf and second…he has a third eye on his forehead!

"Well, when this isn't the Dragon Warrior in person." he says with a confident smile. I get in battle posture.

"Who are you and what are your thugs doing there?!" I yell at him. He chuckles.

"You can call me the Player….and the second question is wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Yeah, these are not my thugs."

"Whose then?"

"His.", he says and points to the back of me. I turn around and look into the belly of the biggest white bear I have ever seen. He bows down to me and roars directly into my face….Iikksss! He needs to wash this more often….I take one or two steps back holding my nose. I see a scar, which begins at his head and ends at his neck….NO!

CRASH!

….

Ow….have not seen this paw coming at me….OW!...my whole body hurts after crashing against the palace walls…urghh…

"This is enough, Temujin. I'll handle him from here." the dog says and I hear a loud growl, before loud paw steps march away. I get up again – still staggering – and look at the dog, before glancing back to the Moon Pool…this guys are pulling at the ropes….are they insane?! They don't want to…no…

"I will not allow you to take the Golden Dragon Statue!" I yell at the dog pointing my finger at him. First he seems surprised but then he chuckles.

"I see…but when you want to stop us, you will need to pass me, Dragon Warrior.", he says and gets into a battle posture. I copy this…can't allow to be stopped by this guy for too long…need to stop the bears….

I charge him.

One punch at the head from the left side, one from the right side and a whirling kick….he dodges them all. Another punch at his head, but he dodges it by bowing…Darn! …I stepped back in time to dodge the uppercut. He jumps at me, fist raised, but I block it with my arm. Next comes a kick at my chin….OWWW!

….

Ow again…! He storms at me another, but this time I can dodge his initial attack and grab his arm in this way. I begin to whirl with him. Faster and faster before I let him go and he flies outside of the palace…fare well. I turn around to the bears, when I feel a tapping at my shoulder…

I turn around and see….Ow! Landed on my back only to see through the pain in my nose the three-eyed dog again. I am able to get on my feet after this hard punch.

"How is this possible, that you are back here?"

He chuckles. "Easy like breathing…but see for yourself." he disappears...I know this!

A punch at my shoulder! …Ow! ….he is gone again. Where is he? Where is he? ….I know…

In time I bend down below a swung punched at my head, turn around immediately and hit him hard in his face. He flies one or two steps back, but stays at his feet. He touches his face.

"Impressive…seems that you have learned something from Tian Yi…" he mutters.

Tian Yi! I knew it! "Are you an underling of Tian Yi…I thought he is defeated…" I say, while this new thought crosses my mind.

"He is and I am not his underling…I am the guy behind him."

"What?!"

He chuckles. I hear and see like the huge bear comes closer to the dog. He growls at me…Will I need to face both now?

"Master, we are almost ready….you wanted that he sees…"

The dog nods. "Correct….it seems Dragon Warrior that we will need to postpone our battle for a next time….if there will be a next time…" he says adding the last words whispering, while he turns around. "Hey stop!" I yell, but he turns back already fast punching into the air….not into air!

Arrhghh! Not again this thing! This black…shadowy…thing what Tian Yi used back then has chained my whole body….somehow its touch feels different than Tian Yi's. I look up at the dog and see like his third eye closes and he collapses into one paw of the bear.

I feel hot below me….I look down and see the third eye there now…looking straightly at me….What is going on?!

Before I get an answer on this the bear grabs me – not gently – and carries me to the Moon Pool. I look up…there are cracks around the golden Dragon already and they get bigger the more these guy pull their ropes.

"Nooo!" I yell but it is useless. They pull and the Dragon falls.

* * *

Next chapter...took some while :) Had some issues to handle...can't guarantee that they have ended...  
When you like this story, I would be happy, if you would review it.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.

Ah forgot to add: Happy Valentine's Day :)


	15. Living Shadow

"_Life itself is but the shadow of death, and souls departed but the shadows of the living.__"_

**Thomas Browne**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XIV:** Living Shadow

"Uhhh….." I moan.

While my eyes open slowly, the darkness in front of me vanishes. I begin to see details. A wooden roof…? ….That needs to be a joke?! Again?! Are you kidding me! "Ahhh….!" headache, headache….!

…

"Pffuuuu…." it subsides.

I hear the loud opening of a door and steps after it. Soon a very nice picture is seen in front of me: My gorgeous vixen Aijna. She looks worried.

"Cien, are you alright?" she asks in a – like expected – worried voice.

Because I still not feel pretty well, I reply: "Worse before I saw you." and a smile right after it.

…

She smirks and slaps my shoulder playfully. "OWWW!" I yell. What a pain…why is it hurting so much? I look to the surprised face of Aijna. The question seems to be written on my face, because she asks: "What is the last thing you remember?"

I search in my memories…"We fought against three members of the Order of the Black Claw…a boar…and a deer….and an OWL!", again headache…"And it looked like we would lose…but then….I can't remember a thing…"

She sighs, while others enter the room: Benkei and Sijna. She looks at them and then says: "It is like you said…"

"Who?" I ask. They look at me with a face, which tells: We know something you don't know…I hate this feeling…

"Let us better start at the beginning…" Aijna begins to explain.

* * *

"Ow…" this hurts….I open my eyes and see like Cien is freeing himself from boards on his back. He looks at me happy…he has probably saved my life, when he pushed me away with his staff. He takes the fallen staff to stand up, while Benkei appears behind him as well. He looks around before whispering something to Benkei. I stand up as well in the mean time, but need the wall behind me as a support…my ears are still howling, but it subsides fortunately…

Cien goes to the broken door and enters the main chamber…

BUMMMM!

Ow! …

I fall on my belly when the shockwave hits me. And again this howling in the ears increases…I try to stand up once again, but my stance is still not very stable….At least I begin to hear something again.

"…r this guy!" I hear a stranger's voice behind me and turn around. My stomach growls, warning me, that it wants to vomit, but I force it back. I take the first steps and my stance gets more stable the more and more I move. Beside the broken door I see Pantu bleeding from a wound at his head…Crap!

I look back to Benkei for help, but he is kneeing and begins to recite…no help from there. I hear a moan from Pantu, so he is still alive at least. First I need to help Cien, then you, you traitor!

After going through the door I can finally look inside the chamber and see like Cien is attacking three – a boar, a deer and an Owl with violet eyes – black garment wearing strangers. Their clothes have the sign of the Black Claw on their bellies.

While Cien is using his staff to hit them I charge them myself, while drawing my knife. The boar – the closest to me – turns around when he sees me. He throws something at me….I can dodge it by sliding below it: needles. I come on my feet and try to thrust my knife deep into his belly…he grabs my hand. A punch against his head follows by me. No effect, except that he is growling now. Again…but he throws me away, before I can hit him.

CRASH!

….Ow! Damn boar. I open my eyes again and see like he is charging me like a bull. Fast I get up and throw my knife at him. He blocks it obviously, but this slows him down. I jump on his snout and kick him hard in his face….he goes only a step back! He grabs my leg, when I am still in the air and smashes me hard against the ground….OW!

I see only the ground, while he grabs my other ankle…and smashes me hard on the ground again. Ouch! No time to wince in pain! I get on my hands before he can lift me up again and use them as a stable stance. I try to free my feet, but his grip is iron-hard and…..this hurts. He had whirled me around so I land on my ass again. Before he can grab me again, I push my body back…to the wall.

"You are weak, vixen." he says in an annoying voice…Cien has not overestimated them, when he talked about the Order back then. These guys are strong. I glance to him and need to see to my horror that Cien is on ground as well…this Owl is smirking over him, while the deer repositions the iron dragon…a canon like the ones I heard about.

Then we hear a loud yell…a familiar yell. All of us look back to the door and see like Benkei is entering the chamber, with pure white eyes. Berserk Mode….that was what Cien has told him!

I grin. "You have lost." I say to the surprised boar. He doesn't look at me, but charges Benkei immediately with his deer comrade, while the Owl stays by Cien looking curious. I look back at Benkei, who attacks the boar first…, what an unbelievable speed. The boar can only block the attack, but this leads to his doom: One punch of Benkei and the boar is flying the whole road back to me.

"Wahhh!"

CRASH!

Almost hit me. I look at him shocked and realize that he is knockout….even my kick was useless against this guy. I look back to Benkei, who has grabbed the scared deer in both his paws and throws him against the canon….I could swear that even the canon moved few centimeters. The Owl leaves Cien finally and goes to Benkei.

"A strong one, what?" she smirks…she is too confident for my taste…anyway I need to bring me and Cien to safety before Benkei sees only us as a threat. I go to him, after I have grabbed my knife again. He is lying flat on his back and his eyes are closed….Crap, I will need to carry him. I touch his arm, when something happens: the staff of Sun Wukong in his hand begins to shine…like back then above the City of the Star. Around Cien's body the black light lines are shining as well…

"What have you done?" I hear a voice behind me and see that the Owl is glaring at me. Benkei is glowing in the same color like Cien and he is reciting…what is going on?

"Don't be afraid. Fear is an illusion, which controls the weak. You are not weak as long as you fight for the right thing. Fight now and see the courage in you."

He repeats this several times; while the Owl comes closer to me…I draw my knife. "Don't come closer! I warn you." I threaten her weakly. Without Benkei we are lost.

The Owl laughs. "Have you even a slightest idea who I am?"

I know…I have recognized her from the beginning. "Fenghuang…yes…I heard you were in prison closed up in a cage, after the Dragon Warrior beat you." I nod.

She seems surprised….maybe I can buy some time for whatever is happening with Cien and Benkei right now. "Quite amusing….in a way I am still there." she replies and I don't know what she means, "But that doesn't matter. You will lose like your friend here."

Crap! The boar and the deer are getting up again. I…..

…"What?!" I yell as a black light engulfs me….

* * *

Look for "Sun Wukong Kairo" via Google/images. The first picture is a picture drawn by the DeviantArts-Artist KairoGC and the one I want to show you. Then you will know what I will describe.

And it would fit, when you listen to "The Forbidden Kingdom OST – 01 A Mountain of Fruit and Flowers" till 1:11 on YouTube during this scene.

* * *

As fast as it came it vanished also. The light of the torches can't break through that what I am seeing in front of me: a person, big and strong, wearing armor, a helmet and having the now white shining staff in his hand. It is like the shadow of a person…a living shadow.

It steps forward, while I hear Benkei collapsing. I look down and realize that Cien is missing…what the hell is going on with this day that such things need to happen?

Fenghuang is perplexed first, but then contains herself again. The boar and the deer on the other way begin to do like they would be still unconscious.

"And what are you?" Fenghuang says uncertain. The shadow is not replying, but instead raises his staff at her. Before she can react, he has hit her…hard. She gets smashed against the stone walls, but has got up quite fast.

"You will regret this…" she threatens, but then she begins….to vibrate? "What the…" she murmurs looking down at her wings.

"I am a Real Shadow.", the shadow says with a voice, which resembles Cien's, but also not…and it has a loud echo despite being in this chamber, "Be gone false one!"

He begins to point his staff at her and from one point to another the vibration around Fenghuang's body intensifies. "What are you doing?!" she yells obviously panicky. She glares at him, before she jumps to kick him….and then she disappears and only a small, amorphous shadow remains…which flees out of the chamber immediately.

I look at this, while the Living Shadow turns around to me. He has no face inside the helmet.

"Say to him…" he begins to speak to me and my ears begin to hurt of the volume, "…that he needs to go to Tian Yi."

* * *

"And after this I fainted." Aijna finishes her explanation, "When I awoke, he was away and only you lying unconscious remained. While I could wake Benkei, you were not to waken up."

I looked down at my paws after hearing this….Tian Yi? …what has he to do with this?

I look back to them: they all look worried. I smirk. "It's okay…it seems that this…whatever it was….has not led to brain damage…by the way you said: 'like you said'…what have you meant with this?"

"I said, that you will have much pain in all your muscles and in your head, when you wake up.", I hear a voice from the background and realize that it is Benkei's, "Also you will not remember a thing what happened."

"From where do you this?"

"Because he knows what happened with you…" Sijna replies instead of him. I look at all of them and they nod. I don't need to say the question… "The soul of Sun Wukong took over your body."

….it seems that my face needs to show my disbelief paired with really big confusion, because Aijna chuckles. Where is the connection?

"Better you start from the beginning Benkei." Sijna suggests.

"You see when dead souls take over bodies of the living it is always quite painfully for the living…don't know why, but so it is written in the scrolls", I still look at him quizzically "Eh and….dead souls can come to this world", I snort disbelievingly, "…of course...under special circumstances. First is that it needs to be always temporarily. Second there needs to be a catalyst…something which belonged to the owner of the soul once…"

Like Sun Wukong's staff…but till now nothing like this has happened…except the one time above the City of the Stars. Benkei continues less confident.

"…third there needs to be a code…" he adds this shortly after, "I've never known what this meant, but it seems that the recited Berserk Mode of me was something like this…"

I still look at him like he has lost his senses. "Considering you are right…why it hit me then?" I ask the obvious question, although it is not the only one lying on my tongue.

Benkei gulps. "Because of the fourth circumstance: The new body needs to be related to the soul…spiritually or physically…like you."

I gawk at him. I am related spiritually to an old Chinese Hero? That becomes really great! …but have I a better explanation than that? I snort again.

"But…" Benkei adds and sounds like someone, who thinks he should not talk further, "…when this is true, what Aijna-sama told, then this resurrection was not complete."

"Why not?" I roar at him almost.

"Because…of the shadow thing. It said it itself: 'I am a Real Shadow' and not 'I am Sun Wukong'. Also the outlook doesn't look like a real resurrection…"

"Call it better possession!" I correct him angrily.

He gulps again and stays silent. No matter what I can think of, there is no better explanation: I got possessed by a damn dead guy! …How this could end up worse?

….I lean back on my hammock….

….

"´Only when Light and Shadow merge your goal can be found.` You are Light and Shadow.", Tian Yi once told to me and Tai Lung…Light and Shadow.

"Tai Lung is missing that's why." I say finally, calmer than a moment ago.

"What…do you mean?" Aijna asks confused.

I sit up in my hammock "Let's say this whole thing about possessions is possible – and till now I don't have a better explanation to it", as well why Benkei knows so much about it, "– the possession was not complete, because he was missing. He is the Light and I am the Shadow…or so Tian Yi once told us. It seems to have a connection to this…" I scratch my cheek and the pain lets me wince once again, "And also here we have the connection to what 'the Real Shadow' told you."

Who knows more about possessions than a guy, who has prolonged his life by controlling several shadows…souls? And there is also this thing with Fenghuang….

All of them nod except Benkei, who doesn't know who Tian Yi is.

"Then we need to go there…" Aijna says, before explaining the one or another thing about Tian Yi to Benkei.

I shake my head.

"No. We are still searching for Moc, already forgotten…by the way how is Pantu?"

They look surprised at me…did they want to go there, where a dead guy has ordered us or what? I grumble.

"He is still unconscious like you were." Aijna replies finally a little unsure, "But by him it seems to be the wounds."

"I see…" I remember something, "How long I was out?"

"Only few hours…thanks to Benkei I could carry you both back to Sijna quite fast." Aijna replies. At least an improvement to last time.

"Cien-san.", Benkei wants to say something and I glare at him. He shuts his mouth immediately and I sigh. "What is it?" I ask still angry.

"Eh…you want to pursue behind Moc-san, but we don't know where he is, don't we?"

"Yes, even Pantu doesn't know and we can't trust a word from him anymore…after all this was a trap." Aijna summarizes what happened. I growl although I know it is true…although the situation has changed.

"We are at the start again." I say finally. Months of searching for nothing…

"Maybe not…" all of us look at the moon bear, who has spoken. He gulps.

"What do you mean with this?" Sijna asks.

"Eh…you see…the Shadow of Sun Wukong-dono said that Fenghuang is a fake shadow…am I right?", Aijna nods, "So there is a connection between shadows and the Order…and when this Tian Yi is connected to shadows as well, so he is also somehow connected to all this…and not to forget what the Shadow of Sun Wu-"

"Come to the point." I interrupt him. He looks even less confident, when this is possible. "We need to go for Tian Yi to find out more about the shadows and the Order."

"Yeah, but we are not hunting the Order, but Moc….and I don't think Pantu lied about the thing that Moc has left the Order.", this says my logical thinking mind, not my emotional…this still doesn't want to accept that he has done it, after what he has done to me and my family.

"Yeah, but Pantu didn't know what happened…the Master of the Order maybe."

I gawk at him….I could face palm myself for this, if it would not hurt my muscles. He is right!

"I think we have another reason to go to Tian Yi now except that the Shadow of a dead guy has ordered us." Sijna says after seeing my face and before leaving the room yelling, "Get ready to depart!"

"We could also ask Pantu about the Order…." Aijna mentions after Benkei has left the quarter as well – he looked like he would wet himself.

"Like you said: It is too unsure." I reply getting calmer again.

"More unsure that this weak link?"

"…No….we will ask him…but we will also go to Tian Yi. Two weak hints are better than one."

She thinks about this. "You know that there are many uncertainties attached to this plan?" Aijna reminds me.

"I know…but in this way we have a reason to do what Sun Wukong told us."

"Ah this is it…So your anger was acted?" she deduces smirking.

"No…but I am hopelessly curious. Probably I will regret this decision one day…would be not the first one of this kind. And it doesn't happen every day that a dead man orders someone to do something, you know…" I reply smirking also.

"So you believe that it was him?" she asks coming closer in a seductive way.

"Like said, no better explanation.", although I still don't know why Benkei knows so much about this specific topic…my thoughts stop: Aijna is really close to me now. I look at her and see the beauty once again, which has spoken to me in the middle of a desert, when all hope was lost….I chuckle. I was obsessed with the topic Moc for too long, I realize now…maybe I need this detour.

* * *

Next chapter...took some while :) again... maybe I will take one month time from now on ;-)

Hope that you like Aijna's Point-of-View as well like the image. :-)  
When you like this story, I would be happy, if you would review it.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	16. Darkness

"_We stumble and fall constantly even when we are most enlightened. But when we are in true spiritual darkness, we do not even know that we have fallen.__"_

**Thomas Merton**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XV:** Darkness

They force me forward in chains. "Hurry up fat panda!" says the polar bear in front of me loudly holding my rope in his paws. I sigh about this situation.

Days have passed since they have taken the golden dragon of the Jade Palace – and destroyed the roof of the Hall of Warriors in this way. The Jade Palace was nothing more than ruins after we left it. And I couldn't prevent them from doing it!

The bear pulls me and I fall on my nose in into the mud. Once snow was lying here, but after a horde of polar bears and a cart loaded with a golden dragon statue crossed this place only the wet and dirty ground remained, which is nothing more than mud.

…

I belong here…couldn't stop them from doing this…and how dad is I don't know….what will the others think about my failure?

"Get up, stinking panda!" the bear yells and pulls me up on my chained hands. I look into his scarred face…not so heavy scarred like his boss, this guy called Temujin. I bet my face is full of mud….what am I doing here?! Instead of wallowing in self-pity I should better stop these guys from bringing the dragon away even more…wherever their goal is.

Before he can react I swing my feet up to grab his mighty arm with them. I pull my hands free of his grip, while he swings his arm up and down to get rid of me yelling: "What are you doing stupid panda?!"

Before I fall down I jump down on my feet and now run at the surprised bear. A clout directly at his chest proves its effectiveness, when the bear trips backwards and lets my rope fall. YES!

I run at him and kick him hard into his chest, while he trips against the next polar bear in the front. The first one begins to growl, but a backflip kick sends him against his comrade ultimately.

Yes again!

Ouch!

…

Another bear has trampled on the rope and this one stretched out to its limit. I fall of course on my nose. Before I get up again, another bear pulls me up and to my horror I need to realize that it is Temujin. His grip is too hard for me to break free so I try to kick him, but he simply stretches me out of the reach.

"Whose fault was this?!" Temujin roars almost. The bear that has hold my rope comes forward and bows down his neck. "Mine, My Khan." Somehow I feel compassion to him.

"Temujin postpone your punishment to later." the voice of a raven says before flying on the shoulder of Temujin. It has three eyes as well. It is not the first time this raven has shown up and I can already guess that it needs to be the Player. But the how I still don't get really…

"Understood, Master. But what should we do with this panda? He can make further problems…"

"Of course I can, I am after all the Dragon Warrior!" I reply more confident than I am. I will not wallow in self-pity again.

The Raven keeps quiet first. "Knock him out." he says more whispering then saying.

"What?" I manage to say, before I see stars.

* * *

"Uhhh…where am I?" I moan, while waking up.

"Finally you are awake again." a voice from behind me says in an impatient manner. It comes flying around me and I look on a butterfly in an odd dress in pink and black. Her face is painted white and her wings are looking…beautiful in these different shades of red. I realize that this is a Lady.

"Oh you have beautiful green eyes, Dragon Warrior.", she says in a sweet voice.

"Eh…thanks." I reply a little unsure.

"I hate beautiful things." she replies with a completely different voice. I gulp.

"Shari, is he awake finally?" another voice says and I see like its owner wriggles inside….I realize that I am in a tent right in this moment! A white tent and judging by the things around me it seems to be a storage tent. I am handcuffed at one pole. The owner of the voice is a really light green snake, I have never seen.

"He is, like you see, Siqu." the butterfly called Shari replies, while flying over to my handcuffs. The snake raises his long neck so it is equally to my face. "So you are the Dragon Warrior…" he hisses in front of my nose, "I think it would be better, if you would not resist while coming with us."

"You think?" I ask suspicious.

"Yeah,…or not…no matter. The bears will shred you to pieces probably if not….but I am not sure."

I gulp. What is going on with this guy?

"Don't talk to him so long Siqu! Faster!" the butterfly behind me yells….D'OH! I have not realized that she has released me to handcuff me without the pole. This snake…that was his motive!

"Okay, okay…I think…follow me Dragon Warrior…I think…" the snake says while wriggling forward.

"Faster, panda! I don't want to wait for you!" the butterfly says while pushing….ow!...me not so soft forward.

We leave the tent and immediately the whole noise of this place hits me – to mention is that it was heard before as well, but I have not listened to it. I am in a camp filled with similar tents. The ground is muddy cause of the melted snow which was once here. Everywhere are polar bears going around or sitting at campfires – another thing to mention is that it is night already. I see like some bears eat fishes….iikkss!

We cross the camp slowly and reach a hill in front of another tent, a bigger one. It is lightened by some torches at poles. On this hill are Temujin and also a black eagle and…

"Bai Fen!" I yell.

"Oh, you are still knowing who I am, fatty." he smirks.

"You…! What are you doing here!?"

"He is my partner…" the last person standing on the hill replies: the dog from earlier. The Player!

"Your partner? I thought he is the subordinate…the messenger of Tian Yi!"

"I was…as a disguise." Bai Fen replies still smirking. I realize that he has one paw on a big urn right beside him….I know this urn!

"The Urn of Tenshu!" I say shocked.

"Oh you know this Urn?" The Player says happily.

"Of course I know! Tenshu, the founder of the Tenshu Army, is sealed away there! He was one cruel leader, which is why he tried to use his army for cruel things. But the noble warriors refused to do this, so Tenshu fled. He has summoned the ten thousands demons of the Scarlet Moon to find his traitorous army and punish them. There for he tried to destroy one village after another, but the army opposed him in first of these villages. They beat his demon army, but died there for…and Tenshu fled again, only to be hunted down by Exorcists who sealed his rotten soul into this Urn…"

"Oh that is good…fewer explanation." Bai Fen comments this grinning.

"What are you planning to do with this?" I say, while realizing something, "You have the Urn of Whispering Warriors in your possession as well…you don't try to…"

"I try and will succeed to bring Tenshu back into the world of the living." the Player replies also smirking.

"No! You will not!" I yell and try to free myself from the handcuffs. Temujin grabs me immediately and squeezes…..OW!...me between his paws. "Don't move or you will regret it.", he growls to me.

"I will regret it, when I don't move!" I say still struggling.

"It is useless." the Player says and rips open the Urn, before directing it at me. I feel the Darkness inside there. No…I see movement….No….this can't be happening.

NOOOO!

Darkness! It engulfs me.

No! No! It gets colder...

…colder…

No the light vanishes….

Cold…

…Darkness….

…

…

Nothing.

* * *

"Ahh….!" I feel the pain in my chest. "Argh!" I moan, while tripping forward….right into the fist of the boar.

"Tigress!" Monkey yells alarmed, while dodging an attack of another boar. I fly on my back. This pain…it doesn't come from the fist…it is so…intensive…Po?

…

The pain vanishes after this realization and fortunately in time: I dodge the attack of a spear of another boar and kick him away with a whirling kick during standing up.

"Tigress is everything alright?" Viper asks me worried after joining my side.

"Yeah everything is alright…again." I reply fast getting into a battle posture. Another boar is charging me – the guy who had hit me….payback time! I jump at him and he is obviously surprised, that I have recovered. Left fist against snout, right fist against snout and before he can dodge or block it a kick to let him see stars. I grab him, before he falls down and throw him at his comrade, who is fighting against Crane….Bull's Eye!

I turn to the other boar bandits, but either they are defeated or are fleeing.

"YEAH!" the villagers yell after leaving their hideouts.

"What happened?" Crane asks after he has fought himself to me through the crowd.

"Not here. Later." I reply, while trying to smile to the happy villagers. It takes almost the whole remaining day to get thanked and say goodbye. We have brought a short distance between us and the village, after it got dark already. We set up our camp in a hollow not far away, which we needed to free of the snow first.

After the fire of the dried wood, we carry with ourselves, burns warmly, we have peace again…at least I wanted to have. All of them stare at me. I sigh.

"I bet I will not get out of it without saying it to you, isn't that the case?"

"You would have won the bet.", Mantis replies. I sigh again.

"I don't know what happened…a sudden pain…in my chest….I have never felt this before…", and what has this to do with Po? I grab the necklace he has searched for me automatically. Po is safe and guarding the Jade Palace…or not?

"A sudden pain?" Monkey repeats me, "Maybe an old wound.", Viper suggests.

"Don't think so…had never a wound so heavy…maybe it was my imagination."

I see in their eyes, that they don't believe this. "I am fine again, guys. So don't worry."

"And what when it happens again?" Crane asks the question I have expected.

"Don't know…" I say hesitating, "…but even when, we can't abort our mission. Too many is at stake."

Their faces reveal that they know this. The attack on the village was not the first one, we needed to prevent. The more we come to the south the worse it becomes. I simply can't imagine that only Adum is responsible for all this...I look up to see southwards, where our path leads: rain is coming to us.

It rains the next days, while we continue our journey. We encounter destroyed or left villages, monasteries and even some schools of Kung Fu. The people we still meet tell us about the army which is rampaging here…but not where it is right now. The destructions come without a plan like it seems: One day they were southwards, the other northwards and even another day, they were completely elsewhere. There are not much things certain: One is that with the army Adum – the villagers describe always a lion as the leader – and his men is meant and the other that after they have come, the number of bandits and other criminals has increased. And neither imperial soldiers are seen, from who many have deserted nor Kung Fu Masters, because they are seemingly a target of Adum and his men. And there are too many of them to detect, who will be the next target. And so we continue our journey to the monastery where all this started….hopefully we find clues there.

Finally we reach our goal, the cliff where the Monastery of the Sealed Urn is found, when the rain begins to subside ….the monastery is destroyed. The information we got is right, but still…it feels bad to see it. This monastery was known for being unconquerable. We pass a left battering ram close to the destroyed gate and see like everywhere are lying bodies…corpses…I growl knowing who is responsible for this.

"We need to look out…maybe there is a trap somewhere here…" Monkey repeats the suspicion we all had already. We look around, but can't find a thing. Where are they…?

….

"Uhhh…." we hear a moan from one side and get into battle posture immediately. Of one of the burnt down buildings a…monk comes out. "They are not here…" he says like in pain, "Not anymore at least…" We look at each other and then run to him. It is a big tiger and he is bandaged at his chest.

"Are you alright?" Mantis asks.

"Felt better already…" he replies smirking. Then he sees me. His eyes…are icy blue. I get a shiver.

Viper and Mantis look at his wounds. "It will heal…but it needs time." the tiger explains his diagnosis and the two nod. The tiger still looks at me, but lower than my eyes.

"What?" I ask him.

He points his finger to me. "From where have you this necklace,…Miss?"

I look down to it again…"It is the only memento my parents left before abandoning me at an orphanage…", I reply a little hurt to refresh this memory. It remembers me also about Po, who has found it. I look into his eyes and realize that he is surprised…with a combination of shock. "Is everything alright?"

He grabs his forehead. "No….nothing is alright…" he looks at me with a sorrowful face, "…my daughter..."

* * *

I decided it: I will try to update this story monthly from now on. :-) Hope you have nothing against it, but I think it is better than complete uncertainess like earlier.

So a different point-of-view again ;-) Hope you liked this change. :-)

I would like to hear your opinion about this story like always :-) You can use the Review-possibility for this ;-)

And when you don't want to wait so long, check out my new work "Crossing the Rubicon". ;-) It is a little bit different, but I try to make it at least equally good like this story here :-) when not better :-P

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.


	17. Tenshu

"_The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.__"_

**Stephen King**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XVI:** Tenshu

"I will regret it, when I don't move!" the fat panda says while struggling with Temujin and the handcuffs.

"It is useless." the Player says and rips open the Urn, before directing it at him…"Uhhh…." what?

What is this? A cold feeling spreads around the hill…darkness pours itself out of the Urn…What is this!?

The Darkness leaves the Urn and flies at the panda. This one is shocked, when the Darkness hits and begins to engulf him….it is similar to Tian Yi's and the Player game with shadows….but also much more dangerous…

I look down on my paws. They are trembling and my fur stands on end. I look at the panda and see like the shadow vanishes slowly inside of him….the fatty falls on his knees, lowers his head downwards and doesn't move anymore.

"Impressive sight isn't it?" the Player asks while stepping closer to me.

"It is…what happened?" I ask unsure.

"A possession. A real one this time…I tried to imitate it my whole life, but still I can't do it like real ones."

I look at his three eyed face. "A possession? So this was a ghost?"

"No, a shadow. A real one. A shadow is one part of a soul…there are always two…but before you think that: No, the shadow is not the bad part. There are neither good nor bad parts, but only parts. Two parts of one soul."

"And you know why this is so?"

"Don't know completely…otherwise I would be able to create a real shadow. Tenshu's shadow was sealed away back then, while his other part – the light – went to the afterlife. Because his shadow is missing, he is doomed to wander around through the Void his whole existence…and that is endless."

"Sounds cruel…I like It.", Temujin intervenes in our conversation.

"It should be cruel…it was a punishment after all for Tenshu's crimes. But on the other side only cause of this it was possible to bring him back…look, it is finished."

I look back at the panda. He is breathing louder once again and is moving in his kneeing position. Then he lifts up his head finally: his eyes are black like the Players.

"Hahh…finally…" are the first spoken words of Tenshu for generations. Dark steam – similar to the shadow thing – leaves his mouth, while he does this. "It has been so long….Ahh", he stands up and begins to stretch his body….I can't prevent a chuckle, because this looks hilarious on the body of this panda. The Player steps forward and Tenshu looks at him.

"It has been a while Player…a new body what?" he asks. I realize that his voice is a dark distorted alternative to the panda's one.

"Like always, Tenshu….how is the Afterlife?" the Player replies satisfied.

"It was…too long."

"I needed time to prepare and you know this."

"Yeah, of course I do…so how long to the night?"

This guy is as informed as me….was he once a partner of the Player?

"Not long anymore…almost all pieces are in place to begin it."

"I see…so can someone take these handcuffs away from me. The wrists of this panda are starting to hurt."

"Of course…Temujin!" the Player orders, while turning around to us again. I realize that the sun is rising already, while Temujin marches to the panda and releases him.

"Much better…" Tenshu says, before looking at his new body, "Oogway had always an odd sense of humor: A panda? Seriously? Couldn't the Dragon Warrior be someone like…for example a Tiger." he looks to me now, "For example you, White Ghost."

"You know me?" I ask surprised.

"Of course I do….being sealed in an Urn doesn't allow much variety. Seeing like someone is freeing me from these damn Monks was a nice view. I hope you have shown them, who the stronger one is?"

"Of course I did." it is still odd looking at the panda as an ally. I notice that his white color has turned darker now…only the fangs are still missing. I chuckle.

"White, there!" Shari whispers to my ear and I look at what she is pointing: a dark shadow at the sky. It is coming from the west, but it is easy to see for me. It is an Owl.

"Ah it seems, that everyone is gathered what?" the Player says amused.

"Who is this?" I ask.

"Fenghuang…I freed her from a cocky prison Oogway has built for her…and since then she is working for me. I used her even for some fake Shadows." he chuckles.

I growl. "I thought we are partners. Why I don't know about her?"

He looks at me with this glance I hate: Complete disinterest. "You know of her now."

I unleash my claws and grab his throat. "Don't treat me like you underling!"

Temujin has stepped closer ready to attack me, when I show weakness. The Riders are behind me ready to strike as well and Tenshu is watching this scene with an odd interest….this face is simply too hilarious! I look back to the Player, who is struggling with missing air. I let him go and he falls on his knees. "Argh…fuuu…you got me there Bai Fen. For a moment I thought you would kill this body again." he says amused, while getting straight again looking directly at me, "You are right, you are not my underling. But we agreed that I will not tell you all of my plans as well like you will not tell me every one of yours."

"I remember that…but the important things need to be clear. We need to be equal to be partners or not?" I growl back. I change my view to Temujin for a moment to prevent him from moving. I have grabbed the hilt of my Twins already.

The Player thinks about these words. "You are right…I will remember this till the next time. But before this I will need to think, what you need to know to be _equal_ to me."

I dislike the kind he has spelt 'equal'….what has my father said? _The Player lies. He has always lied._ Better I keep an eye or two on this matter.

Fenghuang has landed already and is coming to us. "We are assembled finally…everyone…" the Player wants to speak, but then stops in the mid of the sentence. He looks surprised…an unfamiliar look. He changes his look to Temujin and Fenghuang fast. "Lady Fenghuang, I know you had a hard ride here, but I will need your help. Temujin yours as well. Come with me.", he says and storms to his tent.

"Hey, what is going on?!" I try to stop him, but he simply dodges me.

"Explain later. Have no time to lose now." he says still before entering the tent. The two follow him. Crap!

I hear a chuckle.

I look behind to look at the fatso laughing in an arrogant manner…I think I will be never able to get accustomed to this panda's look as the well known and infamous General Tenshu. I sigh.

"You wanted to tell something?" I react still provoked.

"You are an interesting fellow, White Ghost. What has the Player promised you for his partnership?"

"None of your business." I snap at him.

"Oh…how pitiful…" seriously this guy with this behavior?! "…but in the end it is unimportant. But be warned: Don't trust him."

"So you are mistrusting him either? Although he was responsible for your resurrection?"

"He was also responsible for my death." he replies amused, while turning away, "So look out, kiddo. You are exactly the type of guy, the Player loves to use…like Me.", then he leaves the hill laughing evilly…I sigh. This panda doesn't fit to this role.

I look back at the tent of the Player. What is he hiding still in front of me?

"What should we do now?" Shari asks me.

"Back to our tents. We will need to wait." I reply and hear Shari sighing loudly. They turn around and I follow their lead, still looking at the tent. You will not be in my way…no one will…I will care for this in person…

* * *

Another villian appears :D And it is Po ;-) I am curious what you think about this :-)

I would like to hear your opinion about this story as well :-) You can use the Review-possibility for this ;-)

And when you don't want to wait so long, check out my new work "Crossing the Rubicon". ;-) It is a little bit different, but I try to make it at least equally good like this story here :-) when not better :-P

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.

P.S. I am thinking about changing the pace of updating again *sweating emoticon* sorry for that, but I have not decided still :-) So let's see if you will like it *sweating emoticon*


	18. The Tale of the Peacock and the Pig

"_Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them.__"_

**Epictetus**

* * *

**Kung Fu Panda**

**The Long Night**

**Chapter XVII:** The Tale of the Peacock and the Pig

I redirect the fist and punch a counter.

"You became quite good Don Ya.", the old dog says. He wears a light blue garment with golden bracers – the proof of his rank as a general: General Zhao Tzu.

He dodges my punch, changes his foot work and attacks once again. I step back…I need to block his attacks now. They are punched in a faster pace.

"Is there you limit, Don Ya?" the old General mocks me. I make a retreating step and he falls for my trap: my punch hits his chest directly. Before he can regain his balance I change into the attack. One punch after another hits him, while he tries to win the situation still. But he has lost…I remember Master Oogway's teachings still. My last attack stops in front of his throat, my knuckles pointing there like a knife. "No, general." I reply the question from earlier with a satisfied smirk. I am not even out of air – the training I do every day seem to have a good side effect on my stamina.

The general smirks as well. "Not bad…really not bad…" he grins and I react too slow. He grabs my knuckle and twists it….arrrhhhh…..!

He twists my arm on my back. "But still not good enough, Don Ya.", he says satisfied, before letting me go. I rub my arm…it is hurting pretty much. "This move…this was no Kung Fu.", I complain in the act I have written for this scene.

"There you are right…but as an old soldier I need to use every trick for winning…" he hesitates, "This one I have learned during campaigns in the north. The northern tribes use such techniques…as well like the western."

"I see…" I nod, "…I wished I would have the chance for a campaign to the north, General. I bet there a man can learn much…"

"A man…yes…a pig no.", he answers in his spiteful kind. I gulp down my anger. Stick to the act, I remind me. This old crazy dog likes it, when someone praises him, so I need to keep the positive atmosphere. I smile. "Of course….I would never disagree to the wisdom of you, General Zhao Tzu, the most powerful and most experienced General of the Imperial Army, but…."

"No buts, pig!" he interrupts me and I get the feeling that something is out of play, "When you want to play a game, pig, do it with your kind. Not me!"

I gulp. What is going on? "I don't know what you mean, General…"

"You know it well enough! You are here, because of the election of the provisional Emperor tomorrow.", he smirks, "And there for you will need my support."

And the support of five further members of the High Court. With the three voices the Empress leads into the election, the five Yu Thong and my four there still remain five, who have not decided. I will need the voices of him to have a chance to win.

I sigh. Since the issues inside the country increased, the tribes outside of our borders are attacking us more frequently and Yu Thong became the new Leader of the Shadow Division, China is more in danger than ever. Yu Thong may be an expert for intrigues like me, but this is the reason, why the Shadow Division lost its effectiveness: He had cared there for that every disloyal member to him of the Division is dead. And these needed to be even the best ones. Now the Division is struggling with compensating this loss as well like "investigating" this matter. No surprise that the Court is surprised and accepted an election of a provisional Emperor till China comes back to peace…..maybe this was his plan from the beginning….

I look at the old dog. I need him no matter the cost. The provisional Emperor will have enough power to eliminate his rivals without problems, so that he will stay the Emperor…till he dies.

For the first time I decide to speak openly. "You are right, General Zhao Tzu,…I need your support for winning."

"And you think by sparing with me, you will get it what?" he chuckles.

"No, of course not….but let us look at the alternatives. There is the possibility to give the Empress the needed votes…but she is a female and probably the governors of the provinces will not accept her as their sovereign. Not counted that she doesn't show interest in becoming elected.

Then there is Yu Thong…we all know that he is not better than me. He is a bad choice.

And last there is still Minister Ku Kao…and we all know that he will be not able to reign this country for much long. He is a coward and will flee of the problems instead trying to solve them."

The old General smirks satisfied. "You are good…but that is not surprising. After all you play this game for quite long already…as well Yu Thong. Why is he a bad choice?"

"Because he has led to the problems we have now." I chuckle inside my mind still cause of this, "He has proven that his greed for power is stronger than his reason."

"And you are different?"

"I have not proven anything in this direction."

"True, true….you have forgotten to mention an alternative: Me."

Is this a test? I lick my lips. "You could be a good choice…yes…with your experience and integrity…but do you want to be Emperor?"

"Provisional one, not to forget…"

"Even you know that nothing regards to this title is provisional. Once an Emperor, always one, they say…you will not be able to give it up and then all of us will be your enemy." I remember something, "And you will need to play the game with us, if you want to or not…"

He chuckles. "You have figured me out, Don Ya….but this is also not surprising. You had never a lack of intelligence. Different from your foot-boy.", he chuckles again, "But…I will still not vote for you."

"Why?" I ask shocked….regain your balance, your fool!

"Because of something you will not know probably, Don Ya: The Aura of a ruler."

I have never heard of it. "You seem confused…" he notices…focus on your face, fool!

"Then I will explain it…" he begins, "Every person has an aura which surrounds him. For good observers like me, it is visible and it is the reason who I choose. You Don Ya have not what I am searching for. The Aura of peasantry is surrounding you like your piggy smell. You will be never a good ruler, no matter how much time will pass. Only a good player. That is why I will choose Yu Thong."

Crap! "Although you know how this will end? You must know that Yu Thong will do the same like in the Shadow Division…he will lead China into a disaster!"

"Maybe he will…but this risk we will need to take. Better him than you."

I bare my teeth. "You will sacrifice us all….for such stupidity?"

He growls. "Hold your tongue, pig! Don't forget to who you are talking."

I know too well: To a grumpy old man, who hates pigs, and seems to be blind to the right choice….AARRRRHGGGHHH! This stubborn old man!

I pant cause of my anger. Calm yourself Don Ya. Calm yourself….I look at him…he snorts and turns around to leave the training place…I didn't want to do this, but now I have no alternative…

"When have you seen your wife the last time, General?" I ask in a threatening manner. He stops immediately.

"This morning…" he replies turning his head to me.

"I see…you will not see her again, if you don't vote for Me.", I hate threats. Their advantage is most often only temporary. But this time I need it….I will deal with the long term disadvantages, when I have become Emperor…

"You…" he growls at me and before I can look properly he charges me again. Not this time, old man. I dodge his punch, grab his arm and force his face hard on the ground. I stretch out his arm, while positioning my foot knuckle on his neck.

"You…!" he can still stay, before I force his face again on the ground of the Sparing hall. "Like you can see, General, I have learned some techniques for myself…and that although I am a pig." He says something, but it is not intelligible. I free his arm, when I hear the moan of pain. Then I kick the old dog to the front.

"When you want to see her again, you need only to vote for me…nothing difficult. Will you be able to do this?"

He looks at me with a threatening glance while rubbing his arm. Finally he nods.

"And don't dare to hurt her, you dishonorable scum!" he spits at me.

I clean the spot slowly, before replying: "You don't have to fear something. I may be dishonorable scum, but I have still modesty. Your wife will happen nothing bad…at least, when you vote for me."

He gnashes his teeth and then leaves the place finally.

Not before he has left the hall, I sigh in relaxation….six supporters more. And adding to this that probably one or two of the indecisive ones will vote for me as well…I will win. 10 supporters safe against five of Yu and further three for the Empress…although she is one of the three. Maybe she will give her voice to the winner…That would be the absolute defeat for Yu.

I rub my hands. And that accomplished with a simple lie. His wife will not be here indeed, because there for I cared. Zhu Li has poisoned one of her uncles…her favorite one. He will not die, but will be not at the Court for some time. And the talk, I had with her this morning was enough to convince her not to say something to the General….everything works like it should and I don't even need this stupid three-eyed guy. I have declined his help back then and he has said to me that I need only to say his name – or at least the one he is using now – and he will come back and help me…and there for demand the Throne of the Dragon. The throne itself, not what it is representing…Never! This will be my seat….

I grin while whistling for a better tomorrow….

* * *

The day has come. The Hall of the court is still empty. To my left, to my back and front are seats for the Court members, while to my right is the Throne of the Throne Holder – my new seat till I have strengthened my position as the new Emperor. Then finally…

I hear the steps behind me and turn around. Zhu Li comes running to me. "Don Ya! Don Ya!" he yells again almost. I sigh. "What is it, Zhu Li?"

He pants…how long was the way you ran? "Grand Master Shifu…" he can say between the pants. Yes? "…he wants to leave the Imperial Court immediately."

What? That comes surprising regarding the things I have heard the last time. "Why?"

"Don't know…ran as fast as I heard about it here."

I see…I turn back from him. Shifu is the key to control the Empress…he can't leave so fast. I turn back to Zhu Li. "Gather my guard and bring him back."

"By force?"

"Of course not! He is the Grand Master of Kung Fu…do you think my guard would be able to stand a chance against him? No, they should say him, that I need to talk to him…and it is important. For China. He can't leave yet."

"I see…Don Ya. Better I run to them…."

"And don't forget to come back then. The Court will not wait for you." He gulps and then leaves the Hall…only to be replaced by a blue peacock. "Good Morning Don Ya. I hope you have slept well?" I have Yu….you too? "Of course I did, Yu Laoshi. Thank you for your concerns. Have you slept well?"

"Like being in the egg again." he replies smirking…don't let yourself to be fooled Don Ya. You have the trump cards in your sleeves…still tastes bad.

In the meanwhile he and his five supporters – all of them wear black – sit down on the front seats – opposite where I will sit. Not much later General Zhao Tzu and the other ten arrive. He comes to me, glaring at me.

"Safe?" he asks only in a cold voice. I nod. He and the others sit down on the left seats, while my supporters sit down on the back ones. Where is Zhu Li?

At the end the Empress enters the Hall followed by Personal Guards – she is the only one, who was allowed to bring two with herself, because she is a woman – and her two supporters. She wears a green-scarlet dress – not her best, but still one of the better. I see that she has cried, although I bet that not everyone would be able to see this. I bow down in front of her.

"Empress.", I say politely and I sense how she stops. I look up carefully and meet her frosty glare. "I hope for you, Don Ya that nothing extraordinary will happen or…" She means the death of her husband. Still couldn't convince her with my lies. I simply bow down again, while she continues her way to the throne. While getting into a straight position again, I see like Zhu Li enters the Hall panting heavily…never before the term 'footboy' has more fitted to him than now.

"Done.", he achieves to say between breathing air in and out, while the doors get closed. The doors should be opened not before the Emperor was chosen, this is the rule. So no intervention from the outside anymore.

"We begin the election now." the Empress explains, while we see like the snow is falling again through the only open window in this dark room. "Every one of us knows why this needs to happen. According to newest news even in the Deep South a complete army is savaging villages and monasteries. This needs to stop."

I heard of this monastery thing….Seems that someone has a grudge against the Jade Palace…I wondered that Shifu has not returned back then, so what has happened now, that is more important than the safety of the Jade Palace? Definitely will need to find out.

"So…let us…vote." she says and looks to her right, where Yu is sitting. He is standing up and looks at the resembled Court. "Dear Colleagues, as the Leader of the Shadow Division and the one with the most experience, I recommend myself.", and no long after he has said it, the five behind and at the sides of him, yell that they vote for him. No problem….I am standing up. "Dear Colleagues as the one who has fixed more than one issue already in the name of the Emperor, I recommend myself."

My supporters vote for me. I look to General Zhao. "General, you want to say something in this matter?" the Empress notices my glance. The old dog stands up….he grins…? Why is he grinning?

"Your Highness, I have thought long and intensively about who should rule China for the time till we have finally a real Emperor. And I decided to vote for…." his grin gets something evil, "…for Yu Thong."

No…this can' be happening…why….why is he abandoning his wife?

His supporters support his decision as well like most of the indecisive ones. I have lost the election….I sit down…no….

"With this it seems obvious who will rule as the provisional Emperor. Congratulations Yu Thong.", the Empress says and lowers her head sadly…was she against his victory?

"Thank you, your Highness and thank you to you as well General Zhao Tzu. I am really grateful." Yu Thong explains before looking at me, "And as my first order of being a provisional Emperor I want to eliminate the forces in our own ranks, which try to oppose the Empire itself. Who has neither had problems to use poison to get their power nor to kidnap a kind and innocent lady."

It is dawning on me: he is the reason for this! Damn how could I have been so blind!

He grins evilly, while I stand up. "Zhu Li, get up!" I hiss to him. "What?" he asks confused. "I said get up!" I say almost loud.

"Don Ya, my dear friend, it seems you know about who I am talking about." Yu says with a smug voice.

I glare at him. "Yes….You!"

Everyone looks shocked, although no one for real…it is not a secret. Only one person seems to look really shocked. "Don Ya, can you prove your accusations!" the Empress yells at me.

"No….who could?", I reply not caring anymore….everything is lost….everything for what I have worked ten long years…no…..there is still one chance. I look to Zhu Li. "Player! Player come back!" I yell at the surprised Zhu Li, who still don't have a clue what is happening.

"Don Ya, what are you doing?" Yu asks me warily.

"Stay calm and watch!" I reply, "Player! Player!"

I hear like Yu sighs. "It seems that his guilt has turned him crazy. Guards!"

Immediately the two men of the Empress step forward and go at me. I turn around to them to fight. "Player!" I yell still to Zhu Li, who only stammers more than only confused: "Don Ya, I don't…know…" and then it happens.

The room gets colder few degrees suddenly and Zhu Li's eyes turn black. A third one opens on his forehead. "You have called for me.", I hear the distorted voice of the Player from Zhu Li's mouth. Every one of us is staring at him, while I answer: "I accept your offer."

He grins satisfied….a grin I have never seen on Zhu Li's face. "Very well…" he says and stretches out his hands from which dark shadows emerge. The one builds up high enough for being a head taller than Zhu Li and a violet Owl appears where the Shadow was one moment ago. The other shadow towers above every one of us, before it takes shape of the biggest polar bear I have ever seen. His face and neck is scarred.

"Temujin, Fenghuang, he accepts our offer. Deal with the obstacles." the Player says calmly.

"How amusing." the Owl replies before flying to General Zhao in a speed I have not imagined is possible.

"Understood, Master." the bear replies before attacking me. I go on my knees protecting my head with my knuckles, but I am not the target: the Imperial Guards are smashed through the next wooden wall.

"My pieces have moved." the Player says, before laughing hysterically. His laughter is the last thing I hear this night.

* * *

And a decision was made...to what it will lead...who knows ;-) ...okay I know, but I will not tell it :-P ...still ;-)

So on whose side where you during the election? :-) Don Ya or Yu Thong :-) I am curious to hear your opinion to this as well like to the whole story :-) You can use the Review-possibility for this ;-)

And when you don't want to wait so long for the next chapter, check out my other works: "Crossing the Rubicon" and "Space Panda" with "Space Panda 2: The Rise of the Hunters" :-)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me. The Idea is also from me.

P.S. I have thought about an alternating system of updating :-) more information by the update of my next story :-)

P.P.S. I am quite curious actually: Do you like actually this quotation thing I do? ^^; Or do you think the quotations fit or not fit to the Chapters? :-)

P.P.P.S. a third thing ^^: What would you think when I would insert also titles for songs, which can be found on Youtube then? :-) So as musical accompaniment ;-)


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